Private healthcare facilities and health agencies in Tasmania and New South Wales respectively will be able to cooperate in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, following separate interim authorisations granted by the ACCC today.
Interim authorisation will allow public and private hospital operators in New South Wales and in Tasmania to work with each other and relevant health agencies during the current health crisis by, for example, discussing expected capacity and demand for services, jointly procuring and distributing medical equipment and supplies, and sharing staff. In addition, in New South Wales, specific representative bodies, such as the Australian Private Hospitals Association, will be able to help facilitate communication and cooperation between the health department and private hospitals.
The ACCC has not conducted a public consultation process in respect of these requests for interim authorisation in light of the urgent need for the Departments, hospitals and healthcare providers to coordinate their response to the Pandemic, and the compelling nature of the public benefits likely to result from the requests for interim authorisation.
Having granted interim authorisation for these arrangements, the ACCC will seek feedback on the applications for authorisation. Submissions on the substantive applications are due by 22 May 2020.
Details on how to make a submission, as well as more information about the ACCC’s interim authorisation decision and a list of hospital operators covered by the authorisation are available on the public registers at: