Port Macquarie Private Hospital is willing to help lighten the load for its public hospital counterpart as the coronavirus epidemic continues to evolve.
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The Lake Road private hospital is continuing its close working relationship with Mid North Coast Local Health District in the midst of the emerging COVID-19 situation.
Port Macquarie Private Hospital will continue to offer to take on additional planned surgeries, as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Australia increases.
Port Macquarie Private Hospital CEO Connie Porter said Port Macquarie Private Hospital was on standby to help support the Port Macquarie Base Hospital to ensure the area's main public health facility had the capacity to cater for COVID-19 patients.
"We have a history of working together most recently during the bushfire response where we cared for public patients to help free capacity in the base hospital for emergency response," she said.
"We are willing to provide elective surgical procedures or care for medical patients to help lighten the load on the base hospital as the impact of the coronavirus continues to evolve and develop.
"While we face the unknown in terms of the extent of the impact of COVID-19 in the Mid-North Coast, it's vital that health providers work together to deliver the best care and treatment to people within our community.
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"As Port Macquarie Base Hospital readies itself for an influx coronavirus cases, Port Macquarie Private Hospital will continue to work in concert with the public hospital and will remain to help to lighten the region's public elective surgery lists to prevent a backlog of cases down the track."
Mid North Coast Local Health District chief executive Stewart Dowrick said the health district is working in collaboration with local organisations including the private hospitals, the North Coast Primary Health Network, Aboriginal medical services and local councils to ensure appropriate plans are in place to manage any local confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, Ms Porter said Port Macquarie was well-resourced and well-prepared to manage the impacts of COVID-19.
"All Ramsay Health Care facilities have strict infection control and prevention protocols along with experienced staff and well-established systems to protect healthcare workers, patients and visitors," she said.
Ms Porter said Ramsay Health Care was closely monitoring updates from the Australian Department of Health to ensure its facilities could respond swiftly and decisively to any changes in protocol requirements.
"Ramsay Health Care has created a COVID-19 response team to keep up to date with the evolution of the outbreak and we are also working closely with local public health units in each region," she said.
Any patients who are feeling unwell should first check their symptoms against those listed for COVID-19 on the Australian Government's Department of Health website and phone their GP or 13 HEALTH for advice if concerned.
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