NORTHEAST Health Wangaratta could remain in 'Code Brown' for weeks, after officially streamlining its emergency management response on Friday due to the growing impacts from the COVID–19 pandemic.
The regional health service notified the Department of Health that its decision was made due to the "extreme demand on our service and the ongoing challenge of staff isolating".
NHW acting chief executive officer Robyn Gillis told the Wangaratta Chronicle that the official declaration formalises a process of redeploying staff into acute services, which has been going on for several weeks.
While all emergency services and surgeries remain unaffected, only category one elective surgeries are proceeding, with all other category elective surgeries remaining on hold, as has been for the past fortnight.
Ms Gillis said alot of NHW's other community health services, such as allied health and non–emergency dental services, are also on hold, with staff redeployed to assist maintain all accute services.
Latest Stories
She said there may also be a need to relocate some patients to beds in other smaller hospitals in the North East.
Ms Gillis reassured the community NHW remained safe and she encouraged people in urgent need of the hospital's emergency services to continue to seek them.
She did, however, encourage people who were unwell, but not in need of emergency care, to access other care options such as nurse on call or their GP.
"We are not sure how long this (Code Brown) will be in place, but all indications suggest several weeks," Ms Gillis said.
"We review the situation each day....our aim is to resume normal services as soon as possible.
"We currently have around 60 to 70 staff members who are in isolation at home, either due to having COVID or being close contacts.
"At the same time most of our 135 acute beds are full with patients and we are seeing around 100 people a day through the emergency department."
Ms Gillis confirmed the hospital's isolation ward was, for the first time since the pandemic, accommodating COVID positive patients, with six people currently receiving care in a "safe and secure" setting.
She said previously they would have transferred these patients to other larger hospitals, but that is not possible as they too are on 'Code Brown' settings.
Ms Gillis said NHW was speaking with the Department of Health daily to keep them aprised of their situation, acknowledging that there were many health service providers on 'Code Brown' across the state.
"We are in discussion about the support we need, but all health services and under extreme pressure," she said.
Ms Gillis called on the community for its ongoing understanding, assistance and co–operation in dealing with the current situation.
She also encouraged people to continue to get vaccinated, noting that NHW's Vaccination Clinic on Tone Road was busy last week with booster shots (available after three months from second dose), as well as first jabs for children aged five to 11 years.
In addition to its weekday hours, the clinic also opened yesterday and saw a steady stream of people between 10am to 3pm.
NHW's Vaccination Clinic is opened Monday to Friday between 8.30am to 4pm.
Walk–ins are welcome but children aged 5–11 need an appointment (book online at: https://portal.cvms.vic.gov.au/ or call the Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398 between 8am and 8pm, 7 days a week).
According to the Victorian Government's Coronavirus website, Wangaratta's active COVID cases staff at 172 as of noon Sunday, with four news cases in the last 24 hours.
COVID TESTING & RATs
RAPID Antigen Tests (RATs) are available from NHW's Vincent Road drive–thru Screening Clinic, which is open from 6am to 12noon daily.
RATs are for people who:
• have COVID–19 symptoms; or
• are a close contact of a confirmed COVID–19 positive case
Two RATs will be provided per person.
Each RAT handed out is recorded.
To get a RAT:
• complete the COVID–19 Testing Registration form at https://testtracker.covid19.dhhs.vic.gov.au/citizen–prefill to receive a unique registration number, and
• present to the NHW drive–through Screening Clinic in Vincent Road between 6am and 12 noon
• bring your Medicare card to the testing site.
RATs are COVID–19 tests that people can conduct at home.
A positive result on a RAT is treated the same way as a positive PCR test and all positive results must be reported.
https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/report
PCR tests continue to be provided at NHW's Screening Clinic.
These are recommended if you fit ALL of the below criteria:
• you test positive on a RAT;
• don't have symptoms; and
• are not a close contact.
