Dear colleagues,

Happy Friday! It’s certainly been a big week across Queensland with new community acquired positive COVID-19 cases being found. Rest assured Public Health are contact tracing and close contacts of these positive cases are being contacted and managed appropriately.

A few things to highlight today:

• Fever Clinics
• Queensland Cases
• Border Direction No.12 implications

Fever Clinics & Public Health

As expected, fever clinic presentations spiked across Metro North following yesterday’s positive community acquired COVID-19 case with 729 presentations. We are ensuring adequate staffing and resources at our fever clinics to support low wait times for patients.   Additionally, we are assisting our Public Health Unit with staff and resourcing to support their contact tracing work.

Queensland Cases

Any Metro North staff who may have potentially been a close contact of the staff member at the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre will be contacted by the Public Health Unit. If you believe you may be a close contact, please be tested and stay away from work at all Metro North facilities until your test results come back negative.  Additionally, please be vigilant in monitoring your symptoms.

Border Directions No.12 Implications

As I informed yesterday, Boarder Restrictions Direction No.12 was released. A Factsheet has been developed to assist you with discussions or information that you may require to inform patients and provide some context of the situation as it stands currently.  It has also been sent to your EOC’s and we will modify and amend as further information is provided. We are in the process of working through the implications for patients who travel with a support person and will provide EOC’s with an opportunity to review prior to completion. Fact sheets and scripts will be put together and distributed to all facilities via EOCs.

I know that sometimes it seems that information changes almost daily and it can be difficult to stay abreast of the changes. Please know that we do our best to update you as information comes across our desks and that you have the information as soon as it alters. Sometimes the changes are small and may not seem important, but I can assure you that every change decision is made for a reason and we need to be on the front foot to make sure you our staff, and the patients in our care are safe.

As we move into the weekend, I want you to reflect on the week that was and give yourselves a big pat on the back and say thank you to each other. As the staff of Australia’s largest HHS, know that you are doing an amazing job and our communities are so grateful for everything that you do. It was a big week for Liz the MN EOC team and I, so we are all looking forward to the weekend!!!

Well, well, well look what finally decided to show up… Hello Friday!!!!

Kind regards,
Alanna Geary
Metro North Incident Commander

Metro North HHS – Overview of Cases*

*With effect 21 August 2020, 1000

**Metro North has three recorded deaths (one person a return traveller into NSW, who passed away in NSW)

*** These numbers reflect the cases being managed by Metro North.

Dear colleagues,

Further to my earlier Health Incident Controller message I would also like to note that Border Direction No.12 defines essential health care as:

1. Essential health care means health care that cannot reasonably be obtained in a person’s place of residence that is:
   1. a Queensland Children’s Hospital appointment, confirmed in writing (DOCX 43 kB) by the hospital; or
   2. an appointment at a Queensland Hospital and Health Service or associated outreach location, confirmed in writing (DOCX 43 kB) by the service; or
   3. an appointment at a Queensland private health facility or an ancillary clinic or service, confirmed in writing (DOCX 43 kB) by the service; or
   4. an appointment at an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Service, confirmed in writing (DOCX 43 kB) by the service; or
   5. an appointment with a prescribed health practitioner at another premises, confirmed in writing (DOCX 43 kB) by the practitioner or provider.

Note: An appointment with a prescribed health practitioner may include services provided by a registered NDIS provider under an agreed NDIS Plan. An appointment at an ancillary clinic or service may include an appointment at a rehabilitation service.

Kind regards,
Alanna Geary
Metro North Incident Commander