Armidale hospital emergency without doctor for 12 hours

Despite extensive advertising and efforts from local and district management, Hunter New England Health said it was unable to find a doctor for the midnight to 8am shift.

On Friday it appeared a doctor had been secured to cover the shift, but a statement from Hunter New England Health said that doctor later withdrew at short notice.

READ ALSO:

"We continue working towards finding coverage," the statement said.

"If we're not able to secure an on-site doctor, on call physicians and paramedics will be on standby to assist the ED if required.

"The ED will continue to have on-demand access to emergency trained physicians (FACEMs) via telehealth and additional nurses will be brought in for patient care.

"At no time will patient care be unsafe or compromised.

"Telehealth does not replace doctors on the ground but provides a reliable alternative when the ED is unable to secure onsite emergency medical officer coverage and would normally go on a Business Continuity Plan."

On Friday Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall slammed Hunter New England Health management, but later praised the health minister on social media when it appeared a doctor had been secured.

In a press release sent to media outlets on Friday, Mr Marshall said he was astounded that the rural referral hospital, the largest in the Northern Tablelands, would be left without critical medical coverage for 12 hours.

"This is not a hospital located in some rural isolated backwater town, this is Armidale, the largest and most critical hospital in the health network in the northern most part of the health district - and there is not a single doctor rostered," Mr Marshall said.

"The 12-hour gap in medical staff will put immense pressure on nursing staff in the ED who will need to use the telehealth service 'My Emergency Doctor' for patients presenting to Armidale.

"Telehealth was never designed to replace doctors, but that's exactly how the health district is now using the service. It's a very poor substitute and doesn't work for nursing staff nor patients who deserve to be treated by a doctor in their own hospital.

"Armidale Hospital is the main hub and catchment for the whole of the Northern Tablelands, including Glen Innes, Inverell, Tenterfield and Moree.

"This is yet another sorry example of how Hunter New England 'against' Health's Newcastle-centric management is letting our community down but also letting their own nursing staff down.

"The sooner we are unshackled from the heartless Newcastle health bigwigs and get our own health district back, with local control, the better!"

Make sure you are signed up for our breaking news and regular newsletters