COVID-19 update 312 | 05/01/2022
Louise O’Riordan Metro North Health Incident Controller
Dear Colleagues,
Today we have 6,781 new COVID-19 cases in Queensland. Important updates in today’s message include:
- postponing non–urgent planned care
- return to work for COVID-19 impacted staff
- TPCH staff fever clinic and fit testing update
Postponing non-urgent planned care
Effective today, Wednesday 5 January 2022, Metro North Health is postponing all non-urgent planned care for the next two weeks where it is clinically safe and appropriate to do so.
The postponement of planned care is required due to the demands of COVID-19 on our resources, including positive cases, fever clinic demand and vaccination services.
Planned care services that may be postponed include outpatient services and non-urgent elective procedures. All urgent planned care will proceed as normal and, where possible, other avenues for planned care may be considered.
STARS will continue to provide elective procedures, dependant on workforce and rehabilitation requirements.
This situation will be monitored closely and a further decision regarding recommencement will be provided on 14 January 2022.
Returning COVID-19 impacted staff to work
As the number of staff furloughed across Metro North Health continues to increase, either because they are a close contact or because they are COVID-19 positive, it is important that we continue to minimise the impact on the health service.
The following resources have been developed to assist staff and line managers in returning COVID-19 impacted staff back into the workplace in a targeted manner:
- A flowchart that outlines the return to work process to follow for staff who are a close contact of a COVID-19 positive person
- For management of staff who are confirmed positive, refer to the directive. A flowchart will be circulated tomorrow.
As always, if you have any questions please talk to your line manager.
TPCH staff fever clinic and fit testing update
TPCH now has a dedicated Staff Only Fever Clinic located in Outpatients B (former Children’s Outpatients Department) on the Ground Floor opposite Lifts D. Staff requiring a COVID-19 test can now get tested at the new location. The Staff Fever Clinic is a walk-in clinic and is open from 7.00am to 2.00 pm Monday to Friday.
There is currently a high demand for fit testing at TPCH. Staff requiring a fit testing appointment can book online here. Staff waiting for a fit testing appointment should wear a P2/N95 mask and apply a fit check.
Thank you all for your hard work and for delivering exceptional care to our patients.
Kind regards,
Louise O’Riordan
Metro North Health Incident Controller
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Current Metro North Health tier activated – Tier 3
Helpful links
- Upload evidence of your vaccine
- Qld Health contact tracing list
- Register for your vaccine
- Qld Health general COVID-19 page
- Metro North COVID-19 extranet
- COVID vidcast recordings on QHEPS
Metro North HHS – overview of cases*
| Patients managed by HHS | Fever clinics | ||||||
| Total in-patients | Virtual ward/ HITH/ similar | Deaths** | No. of clinics | Presentations | |||
| Total | ICU patients | Total^ | |||||
| ICU not ventilated | ICU ventilated | ||||||
| 64 | 2 | 1 | 396 | 4 | 6 | 2792 | |
Norfolk Island – overview of cases****
| Patients managed by HHS | Close Contacts in quarantine | ||||||
| Total in-patients | Virtual ward/ HITH/ similar | Total cases including recovered | Deaths | ||||
| Total | ICU patients | ||||||
| ICU not ventilated | ICU ventilated | ||||||
| 31 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 180 | |
*As at the above date
**Metro North Health has four recorded deaths (one person a return traveller into NSW, who passed away in NSW)
*** These numbers reflect the cases being managed by Metro North Health.
**** As part of an Intergovernmental Agreement, from 1 January 2022 Metro North Health is providing a number of health support services to Norfolk Island. This includes advice and support to staff on island in terms of managing COVID patients. The numbers in this section of the table refer to COVID patients who remain on Norfolk Island and are receiving direct care by staff on Norfolk Island.