With beds scarce, a significant Queensland well being service has been pressured to ship recovering hospital sufferers into lodge lodging fairly than discharge them to storm-damaged houses with out water or energy.
The measure has been prolonged to “particular cohorts of sufferers” who’re prepared to go away care however are additionally ready for his or her important companies to be restored, Gold Coast Well being stated.
A extreme storm with damaging winds is feasible for Brisbane on Saturday. Credit score: Mary Allen
Storms have lashed south-east Queensland, claiming the lives of seven folks since Christmas and leaving greater than 100,000 residents with out energy.
Greater than 40,000 of them had nonetheless not been reconnected to the electrical energy grid as of Friday, with the area within the grip of a heatwave and going through a recent spherical of extreme moist climate.
“A few of these sufferers require life-saving powered medical units to handle their well being circumstances at residence,” the well being service stated in an announcement.
“In instances the place these sufferers don’t have entry to acceptable different lodging, corresponding to household or associates, Gold Coast Well being works with different departments and our companions to assist these sufferers with interim options; this may embrace non permanent lodge lodging.
“Importantly, this creates mattress capability for sufferers who require hospital care.”
Brisbane and Gold Coast residents are getting ready for an additional storm battering, with the Bureau of Meteorology warning of extreme climate alongside Australia’s east coast.
