COVID-19 update 319 | 11/01/2022
Louise O’Riordan Metro North Health Incident Controller
Dear colleagues,
- HR hotline
- COVID planning
- Workforce management
- PPE management
- Wellbeing resources
Today there are 20,566 reported cases of COVID-19 in Queensland.
Well done to the team at Kippa Ring yesterday who vaccinated 528 children on the first day of operations.
HR hotline
We have increased the capacity of the HR hotline to reduce waiting times. Staff can call the HR hotline on 07 3646 5500 between 8am and 5pm seven days. The hotline offers clinical advice on returning to work and HR advice about leave entitlements for staff who are COVID positive or a close contact.
Acting CE Jackie Hanson and Acting ED HR Peter Patmore will also hold a vidcast on Thursday.
Workforce management
With our major focus on the COVID response, where there are staffing shortages in critical areas staff may be redeployed to these areas. Staff who would like to be considered for redeployment to support the COVID response can complete the expression of interest online.
COVID planning
With currently modelling showing we are moving towards a peak of COVID cases in the next few weeks, we are continuing to plan for a surge in demand.
Today we held a Metro North wide planning workshop to prepare for the next stage of our COVID response over the next month. As part of the workshop, we looked at our planning and capacity for inpatient and ICU beds, workforce management and upskilling requirements, planned care, optimising our virtual ward, and other care options.
PPE management
The PPE management group has moved to daily meetings to ensure we have adequate supplies and to manage stock movements around the health service.
We are continuing to fit test P2/N95 masks. Please ensure that your staff have been fit tested for at least one staff, preferably two.
There are new masks available. If you have been fit tested for 3M1860, 3M 1860s, Proshield Medium and Proshield Small, and don’t have another mask option, please present for a further mask fitting.
Each local facility has fit testers and equipment to perform quantitative fit testing. Please check the extranet for the schedules. If you have any queries, please contact the MNHHSFitTestingProgram@health.qld.gov.au.
Please understand the huge demands on the fit testing services and be patient with our fit testers.
Wellbeing resources
The current COVID-19 situation is challenging and for most of us not something we’ve experienced before. We have a range of wellbeing resources on the extranet (accessible from home) to support you during this period.
If you need to talk to someone, our Peer Responders are a good place to start. You can also reach out to the staff psychology service or our employee assistance service which is available 24/7 on 1300 360 364.
Thank you all for your continued hard work.
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 | ||||||
| 103 | 2 | 2 | 663 | 4 | 7 | 2289 | |
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 | ||||||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 42 | 0 | 140 | |
*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.