Originally Posted by
Stickshift3000
There are currently many knowledge gaps in this unfortunate story; I'm absolutely not downplaying the significance of this at all.
Most of the information seems to have come from a call in to a talkback radio station from the patient's father. It's a sad situation but some things aren't so accurate. For instance it would not have taken 16 hours for a medevac flight to Sydney to be arranged in an emergency case.
How, and at what stage, was the quarantine exemption requested (prior to the emergency?
It wasn't.
Clinicians from RPA in Sydney were consulted and the decision was made to do the surgery in Sydney so no need to apply for a quarantine exemption (they would not have needed anyway because it was an emergency case)
Did NSW Health try and take the patient to Qld - why not?
It won't be known for privacy reasons but that must have been the assessment of local medical staff at the time.
Did the patient go through the correct avenues (at the right time) to get taken to Brisbane?
They wouldn't have needed too, because it was an emergency case no quarantine restrictions (as confirmed by the Qld Chief Health Officer). But Qld Health have also confirmed no request was sought from the patient.
It's a sad situation but there is nothing in this story that was the fault of any government for instituting border restrictions (which do not apply if it is an emergency medical case). It has been misrepresented by the media, and seized upon by those looking for a political angle.
Originally Posted by
lc_461
Without knowing the details, it is possible that a miscommunication or misconception that 'QLD is closed' led to the decision that QLD is not an option.
It's been known that essential medical care is exempt from border restrictions when the restrictions were instituted. I'm sure the medical staff in NSW close to Qld know far more about this than the posters on this forum.
My guess is they made an assessment that the situation was not critical enough to warrant a medevac so a lower priority transfer was arranged. Unfortunately the situation deteriorated after the patient made it to Sydney.