A five-year-old Bendigo boy who needs open-heart surgery is waiting for his next operation date after having the procedure cancelled twice within the hour it was scheduled due to Victoria's ongoing hospital crisis.
Cristean Tilkeridis said in addition to the cancellations, his son Winston's surgery had been postponed another six times since May.
The cancellations come as the Victorian chair of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Patrick Lo warned non-urgent category two and three surgeries may have to be suspended in public hospitals in preparation for an upcoming surge in COVID infections.
Mr Tilkeridis said his son has a "palliative" congenital heart disease called tricuspid atresia and was due for his fifth open-heart surgery at the Royal Children's Hospital in April.
"It essentially means only half his heart works," Mr Tilkeridis said.
"His condition is palliative in nature. We're expected to live to 80, but there's no guarantee how long Winston will live.
"We were always aware that Winston would need this surgery, and this will hopefully be his last."
He had an operation in October last year to install a heart catheter in preparation for the open-heart surgery.
Mr Tilkeridis was told the open-heart surgery needed to take place within six months of the catheter being inserted, but after a number of delays, was told Winston's operation would be in mid-May.
"That was pushing the six months after the catheter, and come mid-May, we were told it was delayed again," he said.
The surgery was then scheduled for June 6, and Winston was admitted into hospital that morning.
"He fasted for the morning, we went through the process of admission which includes a rapid antigen test, only to be told there might not be any ICU beds," he said.
The surgery was cancelled an hour before its scheduled time.
Although the procedure was moved back two days, it was cancelled again 40 minutes before it was scheduled.
"Winston is in the pre-op theatre, he's met with the anesthetist, he's completely gowned up," Mr Tilkeridis said.
He said the surgeon apologised and said it was a "resourcing" issue.
While they were told the surgery might be scheduled for early-July, Mr Tilkeridis said he was then told it would be late-July — and they still have not got a date.
"We're yet to hear anything."
Life comes to a 'standstill'
Mr Tilkeridis said his family's lives are at a "standstill" until Winston gets surgery.
"I work as a student counsellor, and my employer had to backfill me for a couple of months at that time.
"I've had to return to work because I don't have enough leave. I was planning my leave around this operation for a good two years."
Winston and his twin brother Harvey also cannot start kindergarten, because they have been told Winston cannot get vaccinated until he has the surgery.
The family — including Winston's grandparents — have also had to stay in self-imposed isolation since May to ensure Winston does not get COVID before surgery.
Mr Tilkeridis said the situation had taken a "considerable" toll on the family's mental health.
"Winston used to be OK with going to the hospital, but now he's really quite anxious," he said.
"It's cruel to put anyone through that.
"It's really important we're not just numbers — we're people."
Family fears delays
While Mr Tilkeridis has not been told Winston's category of elective surgery, the National Elective Surgery Urgency guidelines say congenital cardiac surgeries are usually category two.
Category two is classified as "semi-urgent", with surgery required within 90 days.
But Mr Tilkeridis said he has not been reassured by medical staff about whether having this type of open-heart surgery months after initially scheduled would compromise Winston's recovery.
Mr Tilkeridis said he has contacted the Victorian Department of Health, and while they were in touch in June asking for more information to investigate Winston's case, he has not heard from them since.
He also said he knew of another family from Adelaide requiring open-heart surgery from the Royal Children's Hospital who were in a similar situation.
Mr Tilkeridis said he was frustrated with the lack of government action to curb the spread of COVID and other viruses.
"We have [medical] staff getting sick, we've removed all the mask mandates.
"For whatever reason, the government is not putting any [restrictions] in place."
'There's just no resources left'
The cancellations come as Victorian chair of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and neurosurgeon Patrick Lo said non-urgent category two and three surgeries could be cancelled due to the staff shortages and the severity of the flu season.
"The hospitals are completely bursting at the seams."
While he said "every surgery is absolutely essential", he said stopping these surgeries to deal with the upcoming surge in admissions was the "quickest" and "simplest" option.
"I am not aware of the finer details of what's going to happen, but certainly something will be coming up."
Dr Lo said he would appreciate "any help" from local, state or federal government in supporting the health system.
"By putting resources in, directing the funding that's required — not just the hospital system, but to the entire healthcare sector ... and listening to us."
Procedure to be rescheduled
A Department of Health spokesperson said the department recognised "the stressful circumstances faced by this family".
They said every health system around the country had been under "unprecedented pressure".
"We're investing billions to get it back on track as quickly as possible and help manage the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 global pandemic," the spokesperson said.
The funding includes the $12 billion Pandemic Repair Plan, which comprises of a $1.5 billion investment to increase surgical activity beyond pre-pandemic levels by providing 40,000 extra surgeries in the next year.
The department said it was "working closely" with clinical and workforce representatives, including the AMA and the ANMF, to understand how to best support workers.
The Royal Children's Hospital has declined to comment.
