Operating theatres and the birthing suite at one of Canberra's biggest hospitals will likely remain closed until the end of the year.
Calvary Hospital maternity patients are being bypassed to Canberra Hospital and all seven operating theatres have been closed following an electrical fire on December 6.
The hospital is ensuring all equipment in operating theatres is working and that the air quality is safe for patients.
Maternity services
Four operating theatres may be operational within a couple of weeks, Calvary ACT Regional Chief Executive Officer Ross Hawkins said.
"Should this happen, we will have our maternity services back to normal, however, for the time being birthing services are being directed to the Canberra Hospital," Mr Hawkins said.
Maternity patients are being encouraged to call Calvary midwives if they believe they are in labour or have pregnancy concerns, on 6201 6034. Anyone in active labour at the hospital will be treated there.
Calvary Maternity Assessment Area and antenatal services are still operational.
Elective c-sections will be scheduled at private hospital Calvary John James.
After birth, women can either return home or be transported by ambulance back to Calvary for pre or postnatal care.
Patients who had an uncomplicated birth can be transported after six hours at Canberra Hospital, and those who have had an uncomplicated C-section can return to Calvary after 12 hours.
Around five to seven women give birth in the Calvary Birth Suite and Calvary Birth Centre each day, the hospital said.
Elective surgeries
Hundreds of patients whose elective surgeries have been impacted are being contacted and rescheduled, Calvary Hospital said. They said the hospital conducts about 150 elective procedures each week.
An elective surgery is anything which does not result from an emergency, and are categorised due to urgency. The Canberra Times understands patients may be operated on in alternative hospitals.
In the last financial year, 1364 Canberrans waited more than the recommended time for elective surgery, an ACT Health report said.
There were 14,011 surgeries performed in 2021-22.
"Calvary's seven theatres are closed, the timetable for bringing theatres on line has not been finalised. It is anticipated some theatres will open before others and the schedule for this is being developed," the hospital said.
"We are proactively contacting patients as far as possible in advance of their scheduled procedure to discuss the situation and offer alternative arrangements where possible."
Have you been impacted?
- Email Lanie Tindale at lanie.tindale@canberratimes.com.au. To be anonymous, you can contact her securely through end-to-end encrypted email service Proton Mail at lanietindalejourno@protonmail.com.au.
