{"id":2559,"date":"2020-04-22T17:32:29","date_gmt":"2020-04-22T07:32:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/extranet\/?p=2559"},"modified":"2020-04-24T11:12:53","modified_gmt":"2020-04-24T01:12:53","slug":"22-april-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/extranet\/covid-ed-operations\/22-april-2020","title":{"rendered":"22 April 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"Executive<\/span><\/div>
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22 April 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dear Colleagues,<\/p>\n

Firstly, I\u2019d like to thank you all for your work over the past almost three months since we started our COVID-19 response. There has been an enormous amount of work happening\u00a0at all levels of the\u00a0organisation\u00a0to prepare us for the unknown. We have seen teamwork and innovation\u00a0right across the HHS. Our efforts, and the social distancing and\u00a0social distancing\u00a0restrictions, have made a huge difference. We only need to look at\u00a0the high number of cases and deaths in other countries to see differently things could be in Australia.<\/p>\n

The good news is, we are now able to scale back some of our initial response to focus on managing our next phase. Today we will wind up our Caboolture Hospital fever clinic and Brighton Health Campus Community Assessment Clinic.\u00a0Thank you to the staff involved in these clinics.\u00a0There are several\u00a0GP respiratory clinics<\/a>\u00a0which have stood up in the area and we are seeing a significant decrease in the number of people attending our clinics.\u00a0Our other Fever Clinics and the drive-through Pine Rivers COVID-19 Community Assessment Clinic will continue for the time being.<\/p>\n

Thank you\u00a0also\u00a0to our infectious diseases and infection prevention and control teams for your ongoing commitment and support to Metro North,\u00a0to the intensive care teams for your exceptional care of our critically ill, and to the staff at our fever and assessment clinics.\u00a0Again, well done to patient support services staff\u00a0for your\u00a0efforts in\u00a0managing\u00a0COVID-19.<\/p>\n

\"Thankyou<\/p>\n

This means we can focus on what is needed now. As Shaun mentioned last week, we\u2019re now\u00a0in a\u00a0position\u00a0to\u00a0review our services and see what\u00a0activity we can resume. We\u00a0will do this in a considered way and proceed with caution, with the understanding that if we start to see a rapid increase in positive COVID-19 cases again we\u00a0will reassess.\u00a0We may need to flex up and down several times as we respond to the pandemic.<\/p>\n

At this stage, we\u00a0will be\u00a0resuming Category 1 and 2 outpatient appointments and some long wait Category 3. We will continue to return\u00a0any new Category 3 referrals back\u00a0to the primary care referrer.\u00a0In line with the Prime Minister\u2019s announcement yesterday, we will also begin booking elective surgeries for Category 1 and 2 and some Category 3.<\/p>\n

\"Thankyou<\/p>\n

Returning to activity as normal does not mean we are going back to doing everything as before.\u00a0We have an opportunity to create a new normal, which is why we should not revert to\u00a0doing business in a way that was not best for our patients. Booking all outpatients for the same time, for instance, is not acceptable. We also\u00a0need to be extremely aware of physical distancing and limiting the number of staff and patients who are in one place.\u00a0Where clinically appropriate, we will continue to offer telehealth or phone appointments.\u00a0We will also be reviewing visitor restrictions with the possibility of relaxing them slightly.<\/p>\n

I thought I would include some letters we\u2019ve received from students at Iona College for everyone to enjoy.\u00a0The community are thankful for all the work we\u2019re doing to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and their\u00a0letters are a nice reminder of this.<\/p>\n

I had planned to take leave when Shaun returned from Metro South, but things didn\u2019t quite go to plan. Now that\u00a0things are a bit calmer, I will be taking\u00a0a few weeks\u00a0off. Tami Photinos will be acting ED Operations from\u00a04-31 May\u00a0while I\u2019m on leave.<\/p>\n

Regards,<\/p>\n

Jackie<\/p>\n<\/div>

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