Page40 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 2 December 2020
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We are also working closely with hotel quarantine accommodation providers to ensure that infection prevention and control measures are in place and that staff are adequately trained in how to use personal protective equipment.
I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved in these operations. The Public Health Emergency Coordination Centre staff and the office of the Chief Health Officer plan and oversee the management of government-facilitated flights. The Clinical Health Emergency Coordination Centre and Canberra Health Services staff provide mental health support and undertake testing. ACT Policing and ADF staff are supporting compliance and providing security at the quarantine hotel. The Australian Border Force, Australian Federal Police, Canberra Airport and its staff, Transport Canberra and the ACT Ambulance Service all support the arrival process. Officials in the ACT Health Directorate and Chief Minister’s directorate have worked with the commonwealth and with local hotels and other partners to coordinate arrangements. Hotels and their staff have been willing to help their fellow Australians return home after what has often been often an extremely stressful time.
COVID-19 restrictions significantly impacted our public hospitals, reducing or suspending services important for health and wellbeing in our community. On 1 July the ACT government announced increased investment in our public health system to fast-track its recovery. Our success in suppressing the virus in the ACT has allowed the government to respond to the impact of COVID-19 on our health system. This investment will see a significant boost in activity throughout the rest of this financial year to address the impacts caused by the initial response.
Our plan includes funding to address the backlog caused by the national suspension of many category 2 and 3 elective surgeries in March, by delivering at least 16,000 elective surgeries in this financial year. I am pleased to advise that, as of 30 November, 881 of the 1,338 patients who were overdue at the commencement of the COVID-19 elective surgery catch-up program had been removed from the elective surgery waiting list. This is welcome progress in our health system recovery plan and for the people affected over the previous months. Thank you to our doctors, nurses, other health professionals and support staff who are making this possible.
Madam Speaker, Canberrans are to be congratulated for their combined efforts that have seen the ACT remain free of community transmission. We have every confidence that the ACT is in a very good position to respond, should we see any new cases emerge. Our recovery plan is focused on minimising risk as restrictions are eased and putting in place appropriate measures to manage these risks as best as possible.
For those who are planning to travel over the Christmas and New Year break, we encourage everyone to follow the guidance on both the ACT COVID-19 website and the COVID-19 website of the state or territory you are travelling to, and remember that while travelling it is your responsibility to maintain physical distancing and practise good hygiene, as well as to adhere to the rules of the jurisdiction in which you are travelling.
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