It’s progressively becoming business as usual in the Mackay Hospital and Health Service as some services resume now the immediate threat of Coronavirus COVID-19 has passed.
Chief Executive Jo Whitehead said the COVID-19 Incident Management Team had made the decision based on expert advice from public health and infectious disease specialists.
Additional elective surgery has already started in Mackay and Proserpine and BreastScreen re-opened on Monday.
As long as COVID-19 numbers remain at zero, the Birth Centre will re-open on 27 May for birthing, ante and postnatal appointments and the Overflow Clinic at Mackay Base Hospital will close on 1 June.
Some dental services remain on hold and the Specialist Outpatients Department will continue to offer some appointments by telephone and telehealth to ensure social distancing requirements are met.
Ms Whitehead thanked people impacted by service interruptions.
She said the ability to resume some services was in recognition of the excellent work done to flatten the curve.
“It is the support from the Queensland community to control the spread of Coronavirus, coupled with Queensland Health’s advanced preparation, that puts us in a position to restore some services.
“It’s important we do this right and we cannot rush this. We must continue to balance the reintroduction of services with ensuring Queensland has the capacity to respond quickly to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.
People who have had appointments postponed will be contacted by the health service with new ones.
The Birth Centre building re-opening will be discussed with midwives and consumer representatives.
