Hospital workers call for reliable power

The All-Electric Healthy Hospitals campaign — a coalition of over 100,000 Australian health workers — is calling on the federal government to take action over energy security for the healthcare sector.

The call comes at a time when the nation’s hospitals are facing increasing risk around security of their energy supply as climate-driven disasters threaten critical healthcare infrastructure.

Now joined by nine hospitals across metro, regional, rural and remote Australia, the coalition is advocating for $1.5 million in the federal Budget for a feasibility study into climate-resilient energy systems to keep hospitals running during emergencies.

The campaign said the study’s first step should be identifying how hospitals can transition to reliable, renewable energy without disrupting patient care.

Underlining the campaign’s urgency, Healthy Hospitals advocate Ursula Alquier pointed to the way Cyclone Alfred had cut power to Gold Coast University Hospital and compromised critical services earlier this month.

“For over a year, we’ve been speaking with hospitals from across the country, and many have told us they’re struggling with aging infrastructure, rising fuel costs and backup power systems that are unreliable in a crisis,” Alquier said.

“Hospitals can’t afford to gamble with power failures. That’s why these hospitals see the benefits of going all-electric, to ensure they have reliable, resilient energy when they need it most. Feasibility studies will lay the groundwork for this transition, identifying the best solutions for different hospital types so they can keep the lights on and continue delivering care in an emergency.”

Lauren Kite, an obstetrician and gynaecologist at Broome Health Campus — one of the nine sites recommended for the feasibility study — said that diesel generators kept her hospital running during power disruptions, but that they were expensive, polluting and not a sustainable long-term option.

“The cost of fuel alone takes resources away from patient care. Investing in renewable energy and battery storage would provide a reliable and cost-effective solution for hospitals like ours,” Kite said.

Caz Heise, Registered Nurse and independent candidate for Cowper, said that hospitals must be at the forefront of the transition to clean, resilient energy.

“They can play a critical role in reducing climate pollution, improving energy security and community safety in the face of more severe natural disasters,” she explained.

“By funding feasibility studies, the government can lay the groundwork for a hospital system that is prepared for the future.”

The campaign’s pilot hospital sites include Williamstown Hospital and Echuca Regional Health in Victoria; Broome Health Campus, Western Australia; New Norfolk District Hospital, Tasmania; Modbury Hospital, South Australia; Redland Hospital in Queensland; Gove District Hospital, Northern Territory; and Kurri Kurri Hospital (the Hunter) in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales.

Image credit: iStock.com/Julia Gomina