Confusion lingers over COVID contingency plans at Three Springs hospital

Three Springs residents have been left confused by mixed messages around the operation of their public hospital in the wake of the arrival of COVID in the Mid West. Rumours were last week circulating of plans to move all aged-care residents from North Midlands Hospital in Three Springs to Morawa, with cuts to hospital operating hours because of staffing shortages also feared. But WA Country Health Service regional director Mid West Rachele Ferrari was quick to shut down the claims, saying there were no plans to alter service delivery in Three Springs. “We have met with the staff to discuss various scenarios about different circumstances regarding the COVID pandemic, but there are no plans to change the service delivery of emergency and out-patient services at North Midlands Health Service,” she said. “There is nothing confirmed, we are not changing anything, we have no dates, but we will plan and we will make sure we respond to the pandemic with our workforce shortages. If there is any changes we will let the community know as a matter of absolute priority.” Ms Ferarri said there were contingency plans in place to address COVID outbreaks among regional healthcare workers, but the nature of the response would depend on the scale of an outbreak. “We know (a COVID outbreak) will happen at workplaces across the region at some point, and that is why it has been all about preparedness over the last two years,” she said. “In the first instance, staff will have to follow guidelines around quarantine, and we will have to follow guidelines around contact tracing.” But shadow minister for regional health Martin Aldridge accused WACHS of “back-pedalling” on previous discussions with hospital staff and described the Three Springs health campus as being “on the brink of closure”. “This is a hospital that should have 10 staff, but has four staff. And this comes at a time when WA should be increasing its services with respect to public health and its response to COVID-19,” he said. “We went and visited many people in Three Springs, including the aged-care residents and their families and heard arrangements had been made to shift gophers from Three Springs hospital to Morawa. We heard staff were told what the travel allowance would be for them to travel from Three Springs to Morawa every day. “It is hard to accept there were no plans when such detailed matters were being discussed.” Afa meeting last week between WACHS representatives (including Ms Ferrari) and the local community, Shire of Three Springs president Chris Lane called “BS” on the country health service’s comments. “For WACHS to say no discussion has been held, no staff or residents have been directed or informed is untrue,” she told ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt. “Community members have spoken about how the residents would move and what they would be able to take with them to Morawa.”