The current peak in demand at Royal Darwin Hospital continues.

“The hospital remains over capacity but plans to manage the demand are having the intended effect and we have been able to reduce the use of some overflow spaces that were in use at the height of the peak,” Royal Darwin Hospital Director of Medical Services Dr Alison Maclean said.

“Our staff have been working extremely hard to reduce some pressure on the hospital and their dedication to providing safe and quality care has been supported by nursing staff from other areas within our health service coming to work at RDH to help care for patients.”

While the hospital has been able to reduce some pressure, people with non-emergency health needs are still encouraged to visit their GP or an after-hours clinic as soon as they feel unwell. Seeing a GP early will help prevent a person becoming more unwell and ensure the hospital has capacity to care for those who most need hospital care.

For emergencies, please call Triple 0 or go to the Emergency Department.

All non-urgent elective surgery planned for this week has been rescheduled. Emergency and urgent surgery will continue as normal. The hospital apologises to patients affected by rescheduling and acknowledges the disruption it can cause patients and their families. Patients with concerns or questions can phone 8922 8888 during business hours.

“We appreciate this is a challenging time for the hospital and our patients and we again thank the community for their patience and understanding. We are doing our very best to make sure we can provide safe patient-centred care at all times,” Dr Maclean said.

Media Contact: Kirsty Reid 0401 116 203