Emergency Management (Appropriate Surgery During COVID-19 Pandemic No 5) (COVID-19) Direction 2022, comes into effect at 12:01am on 4 January 2022.
The following surgical treatments and procedures may be performed in South Australia:
- Emergency surgery and procedures for conditions which would lead to:
- Loss of life; or
- Loss of limb; or
- Permanent disability.
- Urgent surgery and procedures for conditions where:
- a patient would come to harm if surgery is delayed;
- there is an increased risk of a loss of life or permanent disability if surgery or a procedure is delayed (i.e. procedures such as endoscopy, bronchoscopy, interventional radiology and cardiology).
- for Category 1 and Category 2 surgery as defined in the National Guidelines (see link below).
- Surgery and procedures undertaken in a community setting utilising local anaesthetic;
- Dental procedures and dental surgical treatments;
- Surgical termination of pregnancy;
- Elective surgery and procedures outlined in Schedule 1 of the Direction (such as IVF, joint replacements, cataracts and eye procedures or screening procedures -breast, bowel and cervix screening);
- Have an approved exemption to have surgery from either the Chief Executive of the Department for Health and Wellbeing, the South Australian Chief Public Health Officer or a deputy Chief Public Health Officer.
- Cosmetic surgery procedures performed in a community setting
Procedures may include, for example, endoscopy, bronchoscopy, interventional radiology and cardiology.
All other procedures not addressing significant medical conditions are not to be performed.
National Guidelines means the Australian Government, Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council, National Elective Surgery Urgency Categorisation guideline dated April, 2015:
Other existing requirements remain.
All existing directions, frequently asked questions and other information can be found here: https://www.covid-19.sa.gov.au/emergency-declarations
If you require further information you can call the SA COVID-19 Information Line on 1800 253 787 between the hours of 8am to 8pm 7 days per week or go to the SA Health website at www.sahealth.sa.gov.au or www.sa.gov.au/covid-19
