
John Hunter only admitting patients with 'threat of limb or life loss'
Hospital management sent surgeons a message on Monday afternoon that said "John Hunter Hospital is going into the evening with minus 37 beds".
The message, titled "extreme bed compromise", said "we are on life and limb".
"This means any acceptance of patients into John Hunter Hospital must be via surgeons (not registrars) and must be for patients who have threat of limb loss or life loss," it said.
"Please continue to ... identify all patients who can be discharged home or to HITH [Hospital in the Home]."
This followed patients waiting up to four hours when arriving by ambulance to John Hunter at the weekend.
The waits coincided with high presentations and admissions to hospitals across the state for influenza-like illness.
"It's been pretty bad in the last 28 to 48 hours," said Brendan McIlveen, a Newcastle-based paramedic.
Mr McIlveen, the Australian Paramedics Association NSW secretary, said "this is probably the worst it's been in a long while".
More than 10 ambulances were seen lined up at the John Hunter on Sunday.
One hospital staffer told the Newcastle Herald there were "40 patients in overflow".
"The cardiac catheterisation laboratory and endoscopy recovery have been used for overflow patients.
"Patients are waiting excessively because we don't have anywhere to see them. We have no movement of patients.
"Staff feel overwhelmed and fearful that something will go wrong. They get scared that someone will die."
The staffer said the hospital executive "refused to call a code yellow" on Sunday.
"This would mean they recognise we have an internal emergency."
In this scenario, moves could be made to ease pressure on the hospital.
A Hunter New England Health spokesperson said on Monday: "John Hunter Hospital is currently experiencing a higher-than-usual volume of patients, including a significant number of seriously unwell patients".
"In response to demand and to alleviate pressure in the ED, we are activating surge areas to temporarily increase our capacity as required.
"During periods of high activity, we monitor inter-hospital transfer requests and prioritise the most unwell patients."
Mr McIlveen said the patients brought to the hospital by ambulance on Sunday were "genuine cases".
"It's not as though they could see a GP or be referred to an urgent care centre," he said.
"It's flu season, so there were a number of unwell people on Sunday."
He added that "trauma happens during weekend sports".
"John Hunter does take all the trauma. It flows well, considering the number of ambulances and patients presenting in the waiting room as well," Mr McIlveen said.
"It does show how well the nurses and doctors do to see as many patients as they do. They were doing everything they possibly could."
But as the workload increases, so do delays at the hospital.
"This does put a burden on the response available for the community," Mr McIlveen said.
"The warmer weather will probably start again soon so that will hopefully settle all the respiratory cases down a bit."
The latest NSW Respiratory Surveillance Report showed "influenza activity is still at a high level", but cases among children had fallen during the school holidays.
"COVID is at a moderate level of activity and decreasing. RSV [respiratory syncytial virus] activity is decreasing and at a moderate level," the report said.
ED presentations and admissions for bronchiolitis in young children were high, particularly in those aged less than one, but they were decreasing.
While another month of winter lies ahead, the Bureau of Meteorology has forecast warmer than average days and nights in south-eastern Australia from August to October.
The bureau said there was an "increased chance of unusually high overnight temperatures".
Surgeons at John Hunter Hospital have been told to admit patients only with "threat of limb or life loss" amid an extreme bed shortage.
Hospital management sent surgeons a message on Monday afternoon that said "John Hunter Hospital is going into the evening with minus 37 beds".
The message, titled "extreme bed compromise", said "we are on life and limb".
"This means any acceptance of patients into John Hunter Hospital must be via surgeons (not registrars) and must be for patients who have threat of limb loss or life loss," it said.
"Please continue to ... identify all patients who can be discharged home or to HITH [Hospital in the Home]."
This followed patients waiting up to four hours when arriving by ambulance to John Hunter at the weekend.
The waits coincided with high presentations and admissions to hospitals across the state for influenza-like illness.
"It's been pretty bad in the last 28 to 48 hours," said Brendan McIlveen, a Newcastle-based paramedic.
Mr McIlveen, the Australian Paramedics Association NSW secretary, said "this is probably the worst it's been in a long while".
More than 10 ambulances were seen lined up at the John Hunter on Sunday.
One hospital staffer told the Newcastle Herald there were "40 patients in overflow".
"The cardiac catheterisation laboratory and endoscopy recovery have been used for overflow patients.
"Patients are waiting excessively because we don't have anywhere to see them. We have no movement of patients.
"Staff feel overwhelmed and fearful that something will go wrong. They get scared that someone will die."
The staffer said the hospital executive "refused to call a code yellow" on Sunday.
"This would mean they recognise we have an internal emergency."
In this scenario, moves could be made to ease pressure on the hospital.
A Hunter New England Health spokesperson said on Monday: "John Hunter Hospital is currently experiencing a higher-than-usual volume of patients, including a significant number of seriously unwell patients".
"In response to demand and to alleviate pressure in the ED, we are activating surge areas to temporarily increase our capacity as required.
"During periods of high activity, we monitor inter-hospital transfer requests and prioritise the most unwell patients."
Mr McIlveen said the patients brought to the hospital by ambulance on Sunday were "genuine cases".
"It's not as though they could see a GP or be referred to an urgent care centre," he said.
"It's flu season, so there were a number of unwell people on Sunday."
He added that "trauma happens during weekend sports".
"John Hunter does take all the trauma. It flows well, considering the number of ambulances and patients presenting in the waiting room as well," Mr McIlveen said.
"It does show how well the nurses and doctors do to see as many patients as they do. They were doing everything they possibly could."
But as the workload increases, so do delays at the hospital.
"This does put a burden on the response available for the community," Mr McIlveen said.
"The warmer weather will probably start again soon so that will hopefully settle all the respiratory cases down a bit."
The latest NSW Respiratory Surveillance Report showed "influenza activity is still at a high level", but cases among children had fallen during the school holidays.
"COVID is at a moderate level of activity and decreasing. RSV [respiratory syncytial virus] activity is decreasing and at a moderate level," the report said.
ED presentations and admissions for bronchiolitis in young children were high, particularly in those aged less than one, but they were decreasing.
While another month of winter lies ahead, the Bureau of Meteorology has forecast warmer than average days and nights in south-eastern Australia from August to October.
The bureau said there was an "increased chance of unusually high overnight temperatures".
Surgeons at John Hunter Hospital have been told to admit patients only with "threat of limb or life loss" amid an extreme bed shortage.
Hospital management sent surgeons a message on Monday afternoon that said "John Hunter Hospital is going into the evening with minus 37 beds".
The message, titled "extreme bed compromise", said "we are on life and limb".
"This means any acceptance of patients into John Hunter Hospital must be via surgeons (not registrars) and must be for patients who have threat of limb loss or life loss," it said.
"Please continue to ... identify all patients who can be discharged home or to HITH [Hospital in the Home]."
This followed patients waiting up to four hours when arriving by ambulance to John Hunter at the weekend.
The waits coincided with high presentations and admissions to hospitals across the state for influenza-like illness.
"It's been pretty bad in the last 28 to 48 hours," said Brendan McIlveen, a Newcastle-based paramedic.
Mr McIlveen, the Australian Paramedics Association NSW secretary, said "this is probably the worst it's been in a long while".
More than 10 ambulances were seen lined up at the John Hunter on Sunday.
One hospital staffer told the Newcastle Herald there were "40 patients in overflow".
"The cardiac catheterisation laboratory and endoscopy recovery have been used for overflow patients.
"Patients are waiting excessively because we don't have anywhere to see them. We have no movement of patients.
"Staff feel overwhelmed and fearful that something will go wrong. They get scared that someone will die."
The staffer said the hospital executive "refused to call a code yellow" on Sunday.
"This would mean they recognise we have an internal emergency."
In this scenario, moves could be made to ease pressure on the hospital.
A Hunter New England Health spokesperson said on Monday: "John Hunter Hospital is currently experiencing a higher-than-usual volume of patients, including a significant number of seriously unwell patients".
"In response to demand and to alleviate pressure in the ED, we are activating surge areas to temporarily increase our capacity as required.
"During periods of high activity, we monitor inter-hospital transfer requests and prioritise the most unwell patients."
Mr McIlveen said the patients brought to the hospital by ambulance on Sunday were "genuine cases".
"It's not as though they could see a GP or be referred to an urgent care centre," he said.
"It's flu season, so there were a number of unwell people on Sunday."
He added that "trauma happens during weekend sports".
"John Hunter does take all the trauma. It flows well, considering the number of ambulances and patients presenting in the waiting room as well," Mr McIlveen said.
"It does show how well the nurses and doctors do to see as many patients as they do. They were doing everything they possibly could."
But as the workload increases, so do delays at the hospital.
"This does put a burden on the response available for the community," Mr McIlveen said.
"The warmer weather will probably start again soon so that will hopefully settle all the respiratory cases down a bit."
The latest NSW Respiratory Surveillance Report showed "influenza activity is still at a high level", but cases among children had fallen during the school holidays.
"COVID is at a moderate level of activity and decreasing. RSV [respiratory syncytial virus] activity is decreasing and at a moderate level," the report said.
ED presentations and admissions for bronchiolitis in young children were high, particularly in those aged less than one, but they were decreasing.
While another month of winter lies ahead, the Bureau of Meteorology has forecast warmer than average days and nights in south-eastern Australia from August to October.
The bureau said there was an "increased chance of unusually high overnight temperatures".
Surgeons at John Hunter Hospital have been told to admit patients only with "threat of limb or life loss" amid an extreme bed shortage.
Hospital management sent surgeons a message on Monday afternoon that said "John Hunter Hospital is going into the evening with minus 37 beds".
The message, titled "extreme bed compromise", said "we are on life and limb".
"This means any acceptance of patients into John Hunter Hospital must be via surgeons (not registrars) and must be for patients who have threat of limb loss or life loss," it said.
"Please continue to ... identify all patients who can be discharged home or to HITH [Hospital in the Home]."
This followed patients waiting up to four hours when arriving by ambulance to John Hunter at the weekend.
The waits coincided with high presentations and admissions to hospitals across the state for influenza-like illness.
"It's been pretty bad in the last 28 to 48 hours," said Brendan McIlveen, a Newcastle-based paramedic.
Mr McIlveen, the Australian Paramedics Association NSW secretary, said "this is probably the worst it's been in a long while".
More than 10 ambulances were seen lined up at the John Hunter on Sunday.
One hospital staffer told the Newcastle Herald there were "40 patients in overflow".
"The cardiac catheterisation laboratory and endoscopy recovery have been used for overflow patients.
"Patients are waiting excessively because we don't have anywhere to see them. We have no movement of patients.
"Staff feel overwhelmed and fearful that something will go wrong. They get scared that someone will die."
The staffer said the hospital executive "refused to call a code yellow" on Sunday.
"This would mean they recognise we have an internal emergency."
In this scenario, moves could be made to ease pressure on the hospital.
A Hunter New England Health spokesperson said on Monday: "John Hunter Hospital is currently experiencing a higher-than-usual volume of patients, including a significant number of seriously unwell patients".
"In response to demand and to alleviate pressure in the ED, we are activating surge areas to temporarily increase our capacity as required.
"During periods of high activity, we monitor inter-hospital transfer requests and prioritise the most unwell patients."
Mr McIlveen said the patients brought to the hospital by ambulance on Sunday were "genuine cases".
"It's not as though they could see a GP or be referred to an urgent care centre," he said.
"It's flu season, so there were a number of unwell people on Sunday."
He added that "trauma happens during weekend sports".
"John Hunter does take all the trauma. It flows well, considering the number of ambulances and patients presenting in the waiting room as well," Mr McIlveen said.
"It does show how well the nurses and doctors do to see as many patients as they do. They were doing everything they possibly could."
But as the workload increases, so do delays at the hospital.
"This does put a burden on the response available for the community," Mr McIlveen said.
"The warmer weather will probably start again soon so that will hopefully settle all the respiratory cases down a bit."
The latest NSW Respiratory Surveillance Report showed "influenza activity is still at a high level", but cases among children had fallen during the school holidays.
"COVID is at a moderate level of activity and decreasing. RSV [respiratory syncytial virus] activity is decreasing and at a moderate level," the report said.
ED presentations and admissions for bronchiolitis in young children were high, particularly in those aged less than one, but they were decreasing.
While another month of winter lies ahead, the Bureau of Meteorology has forecast warmer than average days and nights in south-eastern Australia from August to October.
The bureau said there was an "increased chance of unusually high overnight temperatures".
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Sydney Morning Herald
2 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
NeuroScientific locks in deal to scale-up stem cell production
Perth-based stem cell therapy pioneer NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals has started transferring its patented StemSmart process to one of Australia's biggest and most experienced cell therapy manufacturers to scale up clinical-grade production. Queensland-based Q-Gen Cell Therapeutics will take over the manufacturing of StemSmart's specific mesenchymal stromal stem cells (MSC) from Royal Perth Hospital's Cell and Tissue Centre. NeuroScientific says the technology transfer will allow it to establish MSC manufacturing for its StemSmart infusions for further clinical trials and pursue commercial opportunities. The MSC technology was developed as a last-line infusion treatment for critically ill patients, including those experiencing severe immune complications from bone marrow transplants, kidney and lung transplant rejection and inflammatory Crohn's disease. 'This relationship will allow the company to scale the manufacturing of its StemSmart technology.' NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals chief executive officer Nathan Smith NeuroScientific acquired the StemSmart technology in late June via its $4.1 million acquisition of unlisted Perth-based stem cell company Isopogen. Isopogen had previously signed a manufacturing contract with QIMR Berghofer, under which Q-Gen undertook manufacturing process development to scale up clinical-grade production of the StemSmart platform. Q-Gen, located in QIMR in Brisbane, has more than 25 years of experience in cell therapy manufacturing for industry. The laboratory specialises in manufacturing cellular immunotherapies for national and international clinical trials from 13 cleanrooms dedicated to cell manufacturing and quality control. NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals chief executive officer Nathan Smith said: 'We are very pleased to be partnering with Q-Gen given their extensive experience in manufacturing, process development and GMP production of biologic products for clinical trials. This relationship will allow the company to scale the manufacturing of its StemSmart technology to address substantial market opportunities.' StemSmart offers a step up from traditional MSC manufacturing in that the cells are grown in a special medium, becoming activated in the process. The platform technology was developed at Royal Perth Hospital and manufactured using the hospital's processes.

The Age
2 hours ago
- The Age
NeuroScientific locks in deal to scale-up stem cell production
Perth-based stem cell therapy pioneer NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals has started transferring its patented StemSmart process to one of Australia's biggest and most experienced cell therapy manufacturers to scale up clinical-grade production. Queensland-based Q-Gen Cell Therapeutics will take over the manufacturing of StemSmart's specific mesenchymal stromal stem cells (MSC) from Royal Perth Hospital's Cell and Tissue Centre. NeuroScientific says the technology transfer will allow it to establish MSC manufacturing for its StemSmart infusions for further clinical trials and pursue commercial opportunities. The MSC technology was developed as a last-line infusion treatment for critically ill patients, including those experiencing severe immune complications from bone marrow transplants, kidney and lung transplant rejection and inflammatory Crohn's disease. 'This relationship will allow the company to scale the manufacturing of its StemSmart technology.' NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals chief executive officer Nathan Smith NeuroScientific acquired the StemSmart technology in late June via its $4.1 million acquisition of unlisted Perth-based stem cell company Isopogen. Isopogen had previously signed a manufacturing contract with QIMR Berghofer, under which Q-Gen undertook manufacturing process development to scale up clinical-grade production of the StemSmart platform. Q-Gen, located in QIMR in Brisbane, has more than 25 years of experience in cell therapy manufacturing for industry. The laboratory specialises in manufacturing cellular immunotherapies for national and international clinical trials from 13 cleanrooms dedicated to cell manufacturing and quality control. NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals chief executive officer Nathan Smith said: 'We are very pleased to be partnering with Q-Gen given their extensive experience in manufacturing, process development and GMP production of biologic products for clinical trials. This relationship will allow the company to scale the manufacturing of its StemSmart technology to address substantial market opportunities.' StemSmart offers a step up from traditional MSC manufacturing in that the cells are grown in a special medium, becoming activated in the process. The platform technology was developed at Royal Perth Hospital and manufactured using the hospital's processes.


West Australian
2 hours ago
- West Australian
NeuroScientific locks in deal to scale-up stem cell production
Perth-based stem cell therapy pioneer NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals has started transferring its patented StemSmart process to one of Australia's biggest and most experienced cell therapy manufacturers to scale up clinical-grade production. Queensland-based Q-Gen Cell Therapeutics will take over the manufacturing of StemSmart's specific mesenchymal stromal stem cells (MSC) from Royal Perth Hospital's Cell and Tissue Centre. NeuroScientific says the technology transfer will allow it to establish MSC manufacturing for its StemSmart infusions for further clinical trials and pursue commercial opportunities. The MSC technology was developed as a last-line infusion treatment for critically ill patients, including those experiencing severe immune complications from bone marrow transplants, kidney and lung transplant rejection and inflammatory Crohn's disease. NeuroScientific acquired the StemSmart technology in late June via its $4.1 million acquisition of unlisted Perth-based stem cell company Isopogen. Isopogen had previously signed a manufacturing contract with QIMR Berghofer, under which Q-Gen undertook manufacturing process development to scale up clinical-grade production of the StemSmart platform. Q-Gen, located in QIMR in Brisbane, has more than 25 years of experience in cell therapy manufacturing for industry. The laboratory specialises in manufacturing cellular immunotherapies for national and international clinical trials from 13 cleanrooms dedicated to cell manufacturing and quality control. StemSmart offers a step up from traditional MSC manufacturing in that the cells are grown in a special medium, becoming activated in the process. The platform technology was developed at Royal Perth Hospital and manufactured using the hospital's processes. The cells have been used many times over the years via early-phase clinical trials, studies and on compassionate grounds, with promising results. Later in the year, NeuroScientific expects to receive the interim results from its latest compassionate access program involving patients with difficult-to-treat fistulising Crohn's disease, in which an open wound develops from a gut flare-up that extends out to the skin. A successful clinical outcome will help the company validate its proprietary StemSmart technology in this patient group, which otherwise has limited treatment options. NeuroScientific is fast building towards regulatory approvals and commercialisation for StemSmart. This month, it announced two heavy-hitting appointments. The company has appointed Melbourne-based Smith's as its chief executive officer and well-regarded Perth-based paediatric haematologist and oncologist Dr Catherine Cole as its chief medical officer. Smith has extensive experience in cell and gene therapies in senior commercial, operational and strategic roles in Australia and the United States, which should prove invaluable as the company navigates the regulatory and commercial pathways for its innovative StemSmart technology. The company says Smith's deep expertise in good manufacturing practice (GMP) will be critical for converting the biotechnology startup into a scaled-up commercial stem cell company. Cole has held clinical and academic leadership roles across Australia and overseas, including head of haematology and oncology at Perth Children's Hospital and professor of paediatric haematology and oncology at The University of Western Australia. She is also the former director of stem cell transplantation at Perth Children's Hospital, placing her front and centre in NeuroScientific's race to employ stem cell therapy to treat some of the most debilitating transplant complications and autoimmune diseases. The high-level executive duo join a strong leadership team, which also includes Perth-based haematology medical scientist Dr Marian Sturm as NeuroScientific's chief scientific officer. Sturm pioneered the use of the MSC used in StemSmart over the past 20 years in her former role as facility director of Royal Perth Hospital's Cell and Tissue Therapies centre. While competition in the stem cell space is fierce, the upside is enormous. StemSmart's progress and results over decades of development position the product closer to near-term commercialisation than some others also in the pipeline, which will be helped along by NeuroScientific's healthy bank balance. A $3.5 million capital raise handed the company a $7.5 million war chest to support further trials and development and help it generate plenty of momentum towards its long-term goal of partial or full registration for StemSmart, first up as a Crohn's treatment. NeuroScientific's progress in the field of stem cell therapy has certainly got the tongues wagging recently. The soaring share price has hardly taken a breather, clocking in with an eye-watering 360 per cent rise to 23.5 cent a share in the last two months alone. As StemSmart edges closer to regulatory approval and potential commercial rollout starts to take shape - starting with the pressing need in Crohn's disease - NeuroScientific appears poised to carve out a meaningful niche in the high-stakes world of advanced cell therapies. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: