What Happens When Hospitals Can't Cope Anymore?

We've only been living with Omicron for about a month, but already there are reports that hospitals around the country are at breaking point, forcing several states to postpone so-called 'elective' surgeries. But what happens when even that isn't enough to stem the flow of patients, especially as more and more hospital staff test positive or have to isolate as a close contact themselves? The Quicky speaks to an Intensive Care Unit doctor, a public health expert, and a woman who had to deliver and save the life of her own baby to find out what is going on inside our hospitals, and whether there is any Plan B for when the system completely breaks down. CREDITS  Host: Claire Murphy With thanks to:  Dr Belinda* - Doctor in an Australian Intensive Care Unit Professor Bruce Thompson - Dean of the School of Health Sciences at Swinburne University of Technology, and an international expert on clinical respiratory measurement Mel Moir - Recently had to use her midwifery skills to deliver her own baby at home after the Ambulance failed to arrive in time and her son wasn't breathing *Name has been changed for privacy. Producer: Claire Murphy Executive Producer: Siobhán Moran-McFarlane Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri Subscribe to The Quicky at... https://mamamia.com.au/the-quicky/ CONTACT US Got a topic you'd like us to cover? Send us an email at [email protected] GET IN TOUCH: Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at [email protected] Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Just by reading or listening to our content, you’re helping to fund girls in schools in some of the most disadvantaged countries in the world - through our partnership with Room to Read. We’re currently funding 300 girls in school every day and our aim is to get to 1,000. Find out more about Mamamia at mamamia.com.au Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.