Southern NSW Local Health District has confirmed our exclusive story that there will be no on-site sterilisation at the new $330-million Eurobodalla Regional Hospital.
In a statement in response to our questions they say the hospital will operate under a centralised sterilisation model that ensures patient safety and compliance with Australian sterilisation standards.
“The model will reliably support surgical services at Eurobodalla Regional Hospital with equipment sterilised at South East Regional Hospital in Bega. This includes using advanced track and trace systems,” a statement said.
The local health service said additional equipment and staffing will be added at South East Regional Hospital in Bega to undertake sterilisation of surgical instruments from Moruya.
A new specially fitted vehicle will also be purchased and a driver employed to transport the equipment to Bega and back every day for cleaning when the new Level Four Hospital opens in March next year.
Staff and patients will have to rely on there being enough reusable instruments on hand to perform medical procedures and operations. Local hospital staff who we’ve spoken to expressed serious concern about the risk this presents them and their patients especially in he Emergency Department when the Princes Highway is closed during major accidents and bushfires/floods etc.
But the SNSWLHD spokesperson said more equipment will also be purchased to reduce reliance on same-day instrument turnaround.
They said alternative solutions have been incorporated into operational planning for the new hospital but in response to our questions, they don’t specify exactly what those alternative solutions are.
