The following update has been provided by our expert Infectious Diseases/Infection Prevention teams specifically for the management of all patients from a Residential Aged Care Facility (RACF).
All patients admitted to an inpatient ward from a Residential Aged Care Facility no longer need to be swabbed for COVID-19. In line with management of all other patients, only patients who are symptomatic or meet criteria for suspected COVID-19 should be tested and quarantined in a single room until a result is available.
Asymptomatic, residents should not be tested.
Pre- operative COVID-19 screening should occur for all patients as per usual practice including those identified as coming from a RACF but a swab in no longer required unless the patient is symptomatic or meets screening criteria for suspected COVID-19.
Patients from RACFs who attend outpatient appointments, day procedures or areas such as dialysis or day oncology should continue to be screened as per COVID screening requirements and only be swabbed if they are symptomatic or meet criteria for suspected COVID-19.
For more information on RACF admissions and transfers, please go the QRG section on the microsite under R, or click here.
If you require further advice in relation to the risk assessment of a particular patient, please contact the Infection Prevention team at WHSInfectionControl@mh.org.au
Thank you.
Regards
Maree Pane
Acting Executive Director Operations