Public servants to help struggling triple-0 service

Victoria’s struggling triple-0 service will be bolstered by federal public servants sent in to help by Scott Morrison.

The Prime Minister announced the extra call-takers would be provided in response to a request from Premier Daniel ­Andrews, after weeks of issues with delays answering calls and slow turnout times for emergency services.

Mr Morrison said the Commonwealth was also sending 20 ADF drivers to get behind the wheel of ambulances, which will free up Victorian paramedics from Thursday.

A further six ADF planners will also be sent in. “The commonwealth is seeking to support where we can with the people that we have,” Mr Morrison said.

Victoria recorded 20,769 new Covid cases on Wednesday, a big drop on last week’s more than 40,000 daily cases.

There were 18 deaths recorded in Victoria on Thursday, while 1173 people have been admitted to hospital with Covid-19, including 125 in ICU and 42 on ventilators.

Mr Andrews said he was thankful for the added support from the Commonwealth, including the public servants answering triple-0 calls.

“They are not ADF as such, but it’s not a matter of what uniform you wear, it’s the role you play,” the Premier said.

“We’ve got some in there now and that’s going to be basically doubled, which is very good and won’t end anytime soon.”

When asked about calls to redirect military medical staff to Victoria, Mr Andrews said there weren’t thousands of workers sitting around waiting to be called up.

“If there was an agreement to send a whole range of health professionals from the ADF, chances are the first thing that would be done is a whole lot of reservists – who are already nurses and doctors and ambos working in our system – they would be called upon,” he said.

“All they would do is change their uniform. We just have to bear that in mind, no one’s got infinite resources.”

Aged-care providers and unions have also increased pressure for ADF support, demanding the PM help overwhelmed workers.

They want the federal government to give them more money to bolster the workforce, warning that elderly residents are being restricted to their rooms and were at risk of missing out on essential care.

But Mr Morrison reiterated Mr Andrews’ point that there weren’t “magic workforces” trained to provide the care needed at nursing homes.

National cabinet will on Thursday receive an update about the code brown status called for Victorian hospitals.

DOCTORS WARN OF IVF HALT’S TOLL

Doctors and nurses from cancelled IVF treatments have not been diverted to Covid wards, experts have revealed.

And they have warned of serious mental health ramifications if IVF is not excluded from Victoria’s elective surgery ban and allowed to proceed.

Two of Melbourne’s top ­fertility doctors – Monash IVF medical director Luk Rombauts and Number One Fertility owner Lynn Burmeister – have criticised a lack of ­consultation from the state government before they were instructed to stop treatment for 90 days.

Both said they were not aware of any medical staff ­involved in IVF having been reassigned to Covid-related work – and some were being told to take annual leave ­as there was no work for them.

An online petition against the cancellations yesterday had nearly 120,000 signatures.

It came as Prime Minister Scott Morrison added his voice to calls for treatment to be ­resumed.

Prof Rombauts said the mental health of IVF patients was “the biggest issue” caused by cancellation. He said a legal requirement that all IVF patients receive counselling proved it was ­already one of the most stressful medical procedures, even without Covid-related complications.

“I don’t know of any other medical treatment, in another field, where you need to have counselling before you start treatment,” he said. “This is a decision that was made without our involvement. We’re trying to find out why.”

Prof Rombauts said most IVF clinics were stand-alone operations and staff “wouldn’t be suited to look after Covid ­patients”.

“We’re not at the point where we’re going to war and everyone has to do what they can,” he said.

Prof Rombauts was also concerned that the IVF system in NSW, where treatment is still allowed, would be overrun with Victorians.

Dr Burmeister said there would be no IVF babies born in Victoria after September if the full 90-day ban was observed and patients who were about to be treated were not likely to become pregnant until the end of the year.

While unlikely to do so herself, Dr Burmeister said some clinics could be forced to lay off highly qualified staff due to a lack of work. “I can’t just open again in three months with new nurses,” she said.

“It takes me six months to train an IVF nurse.

“There are day surgeries currently closed, empty. All the anaesthetists are complaining … they’re not being told to go help at the Covid hospitals.”

Mr Morrison said IVF treatments should be allowed to continue in Victoria.

The PM’s wife, Jenny, has previously opened up about the couple’s own 14-year struggle to have their first child.

Mr Morrison said national cabinet agreed early in the pandemic that IVF treatments were not elective procedures. “There is no choice involved in fertility treatments,” he said.

“It’s not an elective procedure in my view that should be subject to these things.”

Premier Daniel Andrews said work was underway to restart IVF treatment.