Tasmanian Government monitoring weather impact on health

The Tasmanian Government is continuing to closely monitor the current severe weather situation and its impact on health services across the State.

Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Guy Barnett, said Tasmanians in the North and North West requiring emergency care should continue to present to hospital Emergency Departments in the region.

“I can confirm that following some temporary disruption overnight that required a move to generator power, mains power has now been restored at the North West Regional Hospital,” Minister Barnett said.

“A Code Yellow response was called at the hospital this morning in response to the disruption and has now been stood down.

“The hospital is prioritising the continued delivery of essential services, with some non-essential services postponed as required, including outpatient appointments and elective surgery. The hospital will contact any patients impacted, and we thank them for their understanding.

“Mains power has also been restored at Deloraine District Hospital, with work ongoing to restore mains power at Beaconsfield District Hospital, which has been operating on generator power after being impacted by power outages.

“My thanks goes out to each and every healthcare worker who are working during this time of emergency to ensure their fellow Tasmanians are getting the care that they need.

“We will continue to closely monitor the situation across the State, and advise the public of any disruptions to service delivery.”

Contingency planning has been enacted in impacted areas across the State to ensure disruption to services is minimised, and to ensure the safety of patients and staff.

TasNetworks is prioritising restoring power to customers dependent on power for health needs and is also working closely with Ambulance Tasmania to ensure these individuals are supported.

The Department is working with staff in impacted areas to ensure their safety, with some staff requested to work from home where possible for safety reasons.

Essential health staff and patients who need to travel for work or care are advised to check the Tasmania Police website for road closures and the Tas Alert website for latest updates.