WONTHAGGI Hospital will become the treatment centre for COVID patients from Bass Coast and South Gippsland under a joint plan released today by the region’s health services.
All suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients in the region will be referred from the community or local medical practices directly to Wonthaggi Hospital where they can access specialist services and more complex inpatient care as required.
Bass Coast Health (BCH) CEO Jan Child said staff are being trained and briefed daily to prepare for the peak of the pandemic expected between April and June.
Elective surgery and dental services have ceased and construction work is being fast-tracked to open unused wards to make way for an expected influx of coronavirus patients.
All suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients in the region will be referred from the community or local medical practices directly to Wonthaggi Hospital where they can access specialist services and more complex inpatient care as required.
Bass Coast Health (BCH) CEO Jan Child said staff are being trained and briefed daily to prepare for the peak of the pandemic expected between April and June.
Elective surgery and dental services have ceased and construction work is being fast-tracked to open unused wards to make way for an expected influx of coronavirus patients.
The CEOs and boards of BCH, Gippsland Southern Health Service (GSHS), Koo Wee Rup Hospital (KRHS) and South Gippsland Hospital (SGH) have been meeting for several weeks to develop a shared pandemic plan which will increase the number of beds available to sick people and keep vulnerable people shielded from Covid-19 as much as possible.
“Our world has changed immensely – we are making difficult decisions in the best interests of our local communities,” Ms Child said.
“We are now focussed on making new arrangements for our most vulnerable patients, our new babes, and our elderly inpatients, to minimise any risk and exposure to them, and to keep them safe.”
From early April all Bass Coast Health maternity patients who do not have COVID-19 will have their birthing services provided from South Gippsland Hospital in Foster, to keep them isolated from COVID-19 patients.
Older frail people currently being treated in Wonthaggi’s Armitage House will be transferred to Korumburra and Leongatha hospitals this week. Some BCH staff will also transfer and work alongside the Gippsland South Health Service (GSHS) staff to provide continuity of care.
GSHS CEO Mark Johnson said the health services recognised that there would be an increased feeling of vulnerability across all health services, particularly when there are also visitor restrictions.
“Our staff will be very aware of the important role they have in providing emotional and social support at this difficult time, whilst also continuing to ensure our older frail people have access to specialist geriatric evaluation and management.”
Ms Child said they wanted to get the message through to holiday makers, including holiday home owners, that local health services are going to be stretched until the pandemic is over.
“We know we will be at capacity in the first few weeks. We are preparing for additional beds but we may not have enough beds, equipment and staff for our own communities, let alone having enough to cater for the visitor population. It will be safer for them and for everyone, if people stay in their usual home”.
Given the significant increase in demand that is anticipated, BCH is actively seeking additional staff to deal with the anticipated influx of patients.
Ms Child said that the service has received a number of applications from many committed community members who want to assist, and now has new staff starting each day, across all areas – administration, environmental support, doctors and nurses.
“I’m so appreciative of the goodwill in our community. We have both current and retired staff contacting us to offer further support. It’s been truly amazing and will be so needed.
“This will be an extremely difficult winter for all parts of Australia but I am confident that the collaboration by the health services will ensure we are in the best possible position to support our community.
“We also want to reiterate that everyone in our community has a responsibility and can make a real difference if they adhere to physical distancing, stay at home as much as possible, and wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Enacting these measures today will save lives.”
For the latest information about coronavirus in Bass Coast and South Gippsland, visit Bass Coast Health.
“Our world has changed immensely – we are making difficult decisions in the best interests of our local communities,” Ms Child said.
“We are now focussed on making new arrangements for our most vulnerable patients, our new babes, and our elderly inpatients, to minimise any risk and exposure to them, and to keep them safe.”
From early April all Bass Coast Health maternity patients who do not have COVID-19 will have their birthing services provided from South Gippsland Hospital in Foster, to keep them isolated from COVID-19 patients.
Older frail people currently being treated in Wonthaggi’s Armitage House will be transferred to Korumburra and Leongatha hospitals this week. Some BCH staff will also transfer and work alongside the Gippsland South Health Service (GSHS) staff to provide continuity of care.
GSHS CEO Mark Johnson said the health services recognised that there would be an increased feeling of vulnerability across all health services, particularly when there are also visitor restrictions.
“Our staff will be very aware of the important role they have in providing emotional and social support at this difficult time, whilst also continuing to ensure our older frail people have access to specialist geriatric evaluation and management.”
Ms Child said they wanted to get the message through to holiday makers, including holiday home owners, that local health services are going to be stretched until the pandemic is over.
“We know we will be at capacity in the first few weeks. We are preparing for additional beds but we may not have enough beds, equipment and staff for our own communities, let alone having enough to cater for the visitor population. It will be safer for them and for everyone, if people stay in their usual home”.
Given the significant increase in demand that is anticipated, BCH is actively seeking additional staff to deal with the anticipated influx of patients.
Ms Child said that the service has received a number of applications from many committed community members who want to assist, and now has new staff starting each day, across all areas – administration, environmental support, doctors and nurses.
“I’m so appreciative of the goodwill in our community. We have both current and retired staff contacting us to offer further support. It’s been truly amazing and will be so needed.
“This will be an extremely difficult winter for all parts of Australia but I am confident that the collaboration by the health services will ensure we are in the best possible position to support our community.
“We also want to reiterate that everyone in our community has a responsibility and can make a real difference if they adhere to physical distancing, stay at home as much as possible, and wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Enacting these measures today will save lives.”
For the latest information about coronavirus in Bass Coast and South Gippsland, visit Bass Coast Health.