Elective surgery has resumed at Millicent and District Hospital this month but only on one-day-per-fortnight.

This frequency is well below the pre-COVID rate when the facility’s operating theatres were used on up to four days per week.

In a statement in response to queries from this newspaper, a Limestone Coast Regional Health Network spokesperson said Millicent had started a staged resumption of elective surgery.

“Theatre lists are undertaken each fortnight and the number of surgery cases on each list varies due to length and complexity of procedures,” stated the LCRHN spokesperson

“Visiting surgeons and specialists are supported by a team of clinical staff and all elective surgeries will continue to be prioritised according to clinical needs and urgency.”

In line with the LCRHN media policy, The SE Voice had earlier submitted the following questions with several days’ notice to the Adelaide-based SA Health media unit.

• How many procedures on average are scheduled for Millicent Hospital in any given week?

• Who are the surgeons?

• Are they from Adelaide or Mount Gambier?

• How many support staff? nurses, anaesthetists etc

• What is the general nature of the surgery? (eg. orthopaedics, urology etc)

• What days are they operating?