Glynis Schultz, A/Executive Director, Community and Oral Health
As you have seen from yesterday’s message we have again moved to Tier 3 due to the increase in the number of staff who are away from the workplace due to having COVID or being a close contact.
I have spoken with a few staff directly who are caring for family members who are COVID positive while they’re unwell themselves and other members of the household are quarantined.
These are challenging situations and I urge staff in these situations to take care and to look after their own well-being.
In the workplace, I appeal to each of you to follow good hygiene and infection control procedures which have been very effective so far in keeping our patients and staff safe.
As you know it is important that we move to virtual outpatient appointments where possible, implement virtual meetings and training, ensure there are no volunteers or consumers onsite and minimise staff movement.
Visitation remains unchanged and can continue as per Chief Health Officer direction.
Applause for the COVID Virtual Ward
We know that our virtual ward teams are doing great things each and every day, and their efforts are making a big difference to our hospitals and care across the community.
Following is an example of that great work:
“I wanted to take a few minutes to tell you about the very positive experience I had with the COVID virtual ward recently. My son suffers severe post-viral asthma and we usually have a couple of hospital presentations a year thanks to common colds and flu.
“It has been a great concern for me over the last two years regarding how he would manage with COVID. Recently he tested positive and I registered him with the virtual ward.
“Within 24 hours we had contact from the doctor and pharmacist to facilitate our admission and received wonderful treatment.
“Dr Kristen O’Connell consulted with colleagues on the best course of action, deciding to adjust his existing medication and the pharmacist arranged for a new script with our local pharmacy to ensure we had adequate supply.
“The calls each day from the medical team helped put this very anxious mother’s mind at ease and so far he has recovered well with minimal breathing difficulties (and I don’t have too many additional grey hairs!).”
Pilot volunteers
We are undertaking a very exciting three-month trial with Community Transition Care Program involving a volunteer phone service for patients which aims to reduce the impact of social isolation especially in this difficult period.
This is a very thoughtful and worthwhile trial. I can’t wait to hear the outcomes and whether we can roll it out more broadly across Community and Oral Health.
Peer Responders
It is great to hear that we now have around 267 Metro North Health Peer Responders, and Community and Oral Health will soon add to this number with our recent Expression of Interest seeing around 30 staff raising their hands.
Great Compliment – Oral Health Centre
“I wish to formally compliment Dr Dimitri Brunello, a senior dentist at the Oral Health Centre, his assistant Christine and dental laboratory staff, on the remarkable care they have been providing to my elderly mother.
“Dr Brunello has been looking after my mother for about 18 months now. Due to hardship my mother experienced in her early life during WWII and a civil war that followed as well as worsening effects of primary progressive multiple sclerosis, she presents serious oral health challenges.
“Dr Brunello has never dismissed any of my mother’s oral health problems as impossible to deal with. He has shown remarkable patience and skill in addressing the problems.
“He has also had a delightful and pleasant bedside manner, and treated my mother with gentleness, compassion and professionalism. He has also personally taken her dentures to the lab to carefully instruct on repairs and has also had technicians see my mother at the clinic to develop the best possible action plan.
“The lab technicians have efficiently been carrying out Dr Brunello’s instructions. Also, Christine, Dr Brunello’s assistant, has always treated us with courtesy and empathy.
“Her oral health problems have further diminished her wellbeing. The efforts, care and interventions of Dr Brunello are a ray of sunshine in all this “darkness”.”
Quote to ponder
Mary Anne Radmacher said: “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying ‘I will try again tomorrow’.”
Glynis Schultz
A/Executive Director
Community and Oral Health