Regional Health Service Overwhelmed by Late Flu Season Surge

A regional health service facing significant patient demand amid a late flu season has advised doctors to consider discharging patients earlier and without physical consultant review.

An email to doctors from the health service's chief medical officer warned that the service was facing "overwhelming" demands that were expected to continue for days.

Doctors have been asked to consider earlier discharge of patients where safe, early plans and rounds, and empowering registrars to discharge without physical consultant review where safe.

The health service faces inpatient bed pressure, with advocacy group Better Border Health reporting a 61-bed deficit on Thursday.

"This is not simply about getting through a difficult few days," Better Border Health spokesperson Stan Stavros said.

"With daily bed shortages frequently reported at 40 to 70, we are starting each day behind."

"It should be the other way around; a hospital should have spare capacity to respond to surges in demand, not a persistent deficit," he added.

The health service warned residents on September 8 via social media that it was experiencing an increase in demand for inpatient beds due to a surge in respiratory illness, and a spokesperson said that it remained ongoing.

"This sustained demand is affecting patient flow across our hospitals and may mean longer waits for some patients requiring admission," the spokesperson said.

"Despite this, patients with critical or life-threatening conditions continue to be seen immediately and receive the urgent care they need."

"Our clinical and support teams are working hard to manage this demand, adapt our processes safely, and maintain capacity across our sites."

"Any operational adjustments we make during periods of high demand are made with patient safety as the first priority, and in line with standard clinical governance and protocols," the spokesperson added.

The surge in respiratory illness putting strain on the health service has been reflected across Victoria, with the Department of Health and Human Services reporting a 400 per cent increase in flu cases since the end of July.

Victoria's chief health officer, Caroline McElnay, said, "We do expect to get seasonal spikes of flu each year and what is different this year is it is coming later in the season."

"It's not too late to get vaccinated if people haven't had that chance to get vaccinated," she said.