Good afternoon all,
After what has been a very busy period at Western Health and across the healthcare sector, it is pleasing that we’ve seen a slight decrease in the numbers of both COVID-related hospitalisations and furloughed staff at Western Health this week. However, with schools returning for Term 1 next week, it’s anticipated that there may be an increase in COVID cases across our community. Western Health will continue to provide an agile response to any changes in demand for our services.
As reported last week, the Department of Health implemented a Pandemic Code Brown – across public health services in metropolitan Melbourne and six regional hospitals – in response to increasing numbers of COVID hospitalisations and high rates of furloughing among healthcare workers. The Pandemic Code Brown remains in place and I will continue to keep you updated of any changes. As part of our Code Brown Response, Western Health has an Incident Commander at all times, and our senior leadership team is meeting daily.
It is great to see that Western Health’s new system for contacting both COVID Staff Enquiries and our Contact Tracing team has been very successful. The link and QR code system – please see full details in the bulletin below – has streamlined the process for individual employees and the COVID Staff Enquiries and Contact Tracing teams. Well done to everyone involved in setting up the new process, and please continue to use this system.
Finally, as supply of Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) improves and stabilises, staff access to RATs has now been broadened to include staff requiring surveillance as a result of a suspected internal transmission event. Western Health will continue to regularly review and prioritise the use of RATs across our health service.
I will continue to update you on any further developments via these Operations Bulletins.
Regards
John
Executive Director Operations (Acting)
Contacting COVID Staff Enquiries and Contact Tracing team
Contacting COVID Staff Enquiries and Contact Tracing
To avoid duplication and to ensure a timely response to staff enquiries, there is now a single means of contacting COVID Staff Enquiries AND Contact Tracing. If you have tested Positive to COVID, if you have an enquiry about your exposure to COVID or if you have a general enquiry related to COVID, you should now submit your enquiry via the following link:
https://survey.wh.org.au/redcap/surveys/?s=AFAFPP473D
Details entered via this link will be visible to both Contact Tracing and COVID Staff Enquiries. Staff will continue to receive an email response with guidance relating to their exposure or situation. For staff who have a more specific enquiry, the COVID Staff Enquiries team will continue to provide tailored advice.
Staff are reminded that they must inform COVID Staff Enquiries and Contact Tracing as soon as possible if they are COVID Positive. This can now be done efficiently via this new link.
If you are unable to access the above link, staff may continue to email whscovid-19staffclinicenquiries@wh.org.au