Recently, I received multiple letters from our local, large public hospital rejecting many of the referrals I had made to its outpatient clinics. The letters said that they had reduced capacity due to their response to the COVID-19 epidemic and “management protocols”.

They thought it was more open and honest to say that no appointment would be offered, rather than just leave those patients in limbo.

The letters arrived after more than two weeks of no new cases in Melbourne, and the announcement of the removal of a number of COVID-19 restrictions.

I have patients who work as doctors in a number of Melbourne’s public hospitals.