Peel Health Campus on ambulance bypass until Tuesday

The spokesperson said it was due to amount of doctors on sick leave and would be further assessed once the bypass was lifted. 

The bypass was lifted at 8am, with the hospital resuming ambulance admissions fully staffed.

There were nine patients diverted from the health campus during the bypass. 

The emergency department still accepted walk-in patients and during the ambulance bypass accepted and treated all 79 people. 

PREVIOUSLY: Peel Health Campus is understood to have taken unprecedented action and gone on ambulance bypass this evening.

A source told the Mandurah Mail the hospital would not be accepting ambulance patients until 8am Tuesday.

Patients requiring urgent medical attention will be transported to Rockingham or Fiona Stanley, with just two ambulances operating in Mandurah overnight.

Other ambulances will be covering Dawesville and Pinjarra.

At this stage it is not clear what has prompted Peel Health Campus’ bypass action.

Shadow Health Minister Roger Cook said the extraordinary circumstances may prove to be an issue for the State Government. 

“It’s very alarming that Peel has been put on ambulance bypass,” he said.

“Peel provides an important service to the Peel community and if it’s struggling to meet the demand from local residents, the government has an issue on its hands.

“Usually we don’t see this sort of situation at hospitals like Peel.

“It’s usually at tertiary hospitals, or major secondary hospitals such as Armadale, when there is a significant localised health issue.

“You think that since Peel is on the Health Minister’s [Kim Hames] doorstep, he would be more on top of the issue.”

A spokesperson for Health Minister Kim Hames said emergency department management for the Peel Health Campus was the responsibility of the hospital under its partnership agreement with the state.

The hospital and the Department of Health have been contacted for comment.