Dr Liz Rushbrook
Chief Medical Officer
Emergency Management and Business Continuity
We are currently seeing a slight increase in patients with COVID in our hospitals and virtual ward, so it’s timely to remind all staff about our COVID precautions:
- Stay home if you’re unwell
- Keep up to date with your vaccinations and boosters
- Maintain good hand and respiratory hygiene
- Take a RAT if you get COVID symptoms (register your result if positive)
Staff, contractors and students with COVID are not to enter a Metro North Health hospital, aged care or disability care facility for seven days following their positive test result. This includes all buildings or workplaces where any patients attend or are located.
Staff who are household contacts of someone with COVID-19 are not required to stay away from work. Household contacts should wear a mask, be vigilant for symptoms, and take a test if any symptoms develop within 7-10 days of exposure. It’s recommended these staff take a RAT every two days for the first five days after exposure. RATs should be made available for these staff.
Staff and visitors are encouraged and supported to wear a mask at work, particularly when providing care to, working with, supporting or visiting vulnerable patients. Visitors are requested not to enter our facilities if they are COVID positive. A COVID-Safe visit can be facilitated if required.
Clinical areas should be now checking stock levels for masks and ensuring there is sufficient for the PPE requirement of the area in the event that we move to a different traffic light level in accordance with COVID Traffic Light Advice.
EOI Virtual Ward
With more COVID patients admitted to the virtual ward, I’m looking for Senior Medical Officers who are interested in working within this area either full-time, part-time or on a casual basis. In particular, infectious diseases, emergency medicine, thoracic or general medicine specialists are needed.
Please respond to the EOI on the Metro North EOI portal if you are interested (the EOI will go live overnight tonight).
Regards,
Dr Liz Rushbrook
Chief Medical Officer
Emergency Management and Business Continuity