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New equipment for operating theatres

  • General
Thursday, 23 Apr 2020

Our Warrnambool operating theatres' new fleet of anaesthetic machines has arrived.

From left: biomedical engineering manager Dr Geoff Ward, anaesthesia director Mr James Muir, anaesthesia associate nurse unit manager Naomi Waterfall, theatre registered nurse Linda Claridge, anaesthesia clinical nurse specialist John Ginley and theatre nurse unit manager Melissa Coffey.

Worth $400,000, the five of them will provide greater flexibility and capacity to supply services across the organisation.

Enabling us to provide the latest techniques for managing and monitoring anaesthesia during surgery, SWH Director of Anaesthesia Mr James Muir says he’s delighted with their arrival. He expects the first machine could be in use tonight as emergency and category 1 surgeries continue at a time when COVID-19 has put so many other types of surgery on hold.

Over the past few weeks elective surgeries have been suspended in the public and private sectors to free-up hospital beds in readiness for potential Coronavirus patients, and to save as many masks, gowns and other PPE equipment as possible should they be needed to protect staff caring for Coronavirus patients. Yesterday, the National Cabinet announced that certain elective surgeries could soon recommence. These include category 2 and several other listed procedures. Whilst this ensures we are now able to provide management to a wider range of patients and procedures it does, however, still restrict the number of elective surgery lists to 25% of what is normally available.

We encourage patients on waiting lists to contact their GP or referring doctor if they have any changes in their condition or would like advice about pain management and other supports. We recognise this is a really difficult time for people on elective surgery waiting lists and thank you for your support and understanding during this challenging period.

Page last updated: 15 December 2020

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