Spotlight on community-based vaccination services
The COH vaccination service started in March 2021 at Surgical, Treatment and Rehabilitation Service (STARS) and expanded to additional community sites at Doomben and Kippa Ring in May 2021.
As the need for increased access to vaccination become more critical, the service opened a mass vaccination clinic at Boondall Entertainment Centre. Brighton Health Precinct provided a community vaccination service.
In January 2022, the COVID-19 vaccination program was expanded to include five to 11 year olds. This necessitated the need to enable the safe provision of paediatric vaccination, as well as maintaining an over 12-year-old program.
By February 2022, it was apparent that Metro North’s COVID-19 vaccination rates exceeded 90 per cent for people who had received two doses.
What has COH delivered?
Between March 2021 and April 2022, COH vaccination services delivered more than 412,000 COVID-19 vaccinations in the community for those aged five to 100 years of age. Metro North provided a total of 640,681 vaccinations in more than 103 locations.
Where did we go and how did we deliver the services?
The directorate-led service provided vaccinations at more than 80 sites across Metro North. This included the community-based vaccination clinics, schools, residential aged care, expos, Bunnings, sporting events, markets and community health centres.
It was proven that pop-up clinics enabled people who would not have accessed vaccination to be vaccinated in a timely, convenient manner.
Through the pandemic and beyond
The Complex Chronic Disease Team (CCDT) has delivered a flexible and dynamic virtual model of care that has allowed service provision continuation to vulnerable clients who are at risk of deterioration or hospital admission despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
During high levels of staff redeployment in early 2022, CCDT has also maintained direct client contact through virtual care, providing more than 1000 direct client interventions via Telehealth or telephone each month.
CCDT are the only statewide cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation providers that have been able to continue care without interruption, by running a completely virtual telerehabilitation program for close to 100 clients.
The service is offered as a group intervention (up to six clients per group) or as a 1:1 intervention, dependant on clinical need.
CCDT continues to refine their virtual care options and recently developed client ‘cheat sheets’ for troubleshooting technology. Virtual care will continue to be offered as a standard modality of care beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
Supporting patient flow in Redcliffe Hospital ED
The Referral, Assessment and Navigation team have been assisting the Redcliffe Emergency Department to manage hospital capacity by proactively looking at referrals to Community and Oral Health.
Thank you to everyone involved in the exploration of new pathways. Last month saw the transfer of the first patient directly to the Brighton Rehabilitation Unit.
Best practice staff improvements for GPOHS
Our General Practice Oral Health Service has been progressing best practice survey strategies to improve our services.
This includes:
- Outsourcing of emergency appointments
- Principal dentists and clinic administration officers are monitoring priority lists for each clinic
- Administration time has been allocated to line managers
- Strategies introduced to reduce loss as a result of failed to attend appointments
- Outsourcing of patients requiring dentures
- Use of SMS data to better confirm appointments.
Doomben and Kippa Ring vaccination clinics hang up their boots
Doomben vaccination clinic
In April, our Doomben and Kippa Ring vaccination clinics closed their doors. Thank you to everyone who participated in the effort to strongly defend against COVID-19.
Everyone who has worked in our vaccination clinics can walk away with a huge sense of pride and achievement for the work they have done.
You have been at the forefront of keeping us all safe and deserve every recognition for your achievements and success.
Aunty Denise Proud, Aboriginal Elder – “I commit to ensuring we receive equitable health services for our families.”
Health Equity starts with me
Metro North Health has unveiled a bold new campaign – Health Equity Starts with Me – to drive health equity and eliminate institutional racism across the health service.
The campaign features a commitment made by midwives, doctors, administration staff, health executives and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers.
Metro North Health Chief Executive Jackie Hanson said the campaign supported efforts to put Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health front and centre to improve health outcomes and reduce the burden of disease.
Learn more about health equity.
Our administrators shine
Our administration staff are the faces of the organisation, whether it is working in our facilities or through your support in patient services, you keep our areas operating effectively and efficiently.
During Administrative Professional Day we awarded some of these stars:
Teamwork
- Complex Chronic Disease Team – Amanda Cleal, Diana Green and Anna Weldon
- Stafford Dental Team
High Performance
- Loren Hughes, Brighton Health Campus
Compassion
- Anne Davies, Clinic 2.1, Oral Health Centre
- Fiona Wilson, Halwyn Centre
Compliment of the month – Oral Health Centre Clinic 3.1
Following an acknowledgement letter from the Health Minister, we couldn’t pass this compliment up for the Oral Health Centre.
“Having had three visits to the Oral Health Centre – Clinic 3.1, I wish to thank both the intern dentists and their assistants for the excellent treatment given to me at all three sittings at this time.
“They are to be congratulated for their professional manner and fluent treatment at the time, always talking me through the procedures, and while carrying out the treatment with utmost care and precision, ensuring at all times I was comfortable and without pain.
“I would also like to thank the duty supervisors for their professional assistance during my time under the intern dentists.
“Thanking Metro North Oral Health Service for its very professional service to the elderly.”
FAST FACTS
Last year, more than 66,000 appointments for oral care were provided by University of Queensland students and Metro North Staff at the Oral Health Centre.