Private hospitals to halt surgery across Sydney for COVID-19 support

Private hospitals across Greater Sydney will stop non-urgent surgeries from next week so their staff can support the public system in fighting COVID-19.

However, patients who have been waiting for treatment are unimpressed.

Jasmine Giuliano was supposed to have had her inflamed gallbladder taken out in February.

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But with non-urgent surgery cancelled at Sutherland Hospital, she's been left in limbo.

"Mentally, it's a downer," she told 9News.

"When you're in pain and you're like, how long can I keep going with this pain and nausea because of the symptoms that I have."

From Monday, private hospitals in Greater Sydney will also postpone non-urgent elective surgeries.

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Their staff will be redirected into the public system to help with vaccinations and to manage the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

But there's growing concern for the long-term health outcomes for patients whose surgeries and treatments are being delayed.

There are still patients in the system waiting for cancelled surgery from 18 months ago, when the pandemic began.

Patients impacted by these new cancellations are urged to seek medical help if they feel they need to be changed to a more urgent category.