COLLABORATION is key for Northern District Community Health when it comes to the fight against the COVID-19 virus.
NDCH chief executive officer (CEO) Mandy Hutchinson said they worked in collaboration with other health services including Swan Hill District Health (SHDH), to assist in any way they can.
“We can’t offer an awful lot (for SHDH) because we’re a small team and staff are already doing more than one role,” Ms Hutchinson said.
“One of the issues we’ve got in rural areas is that when we’ve got very small teams, a collaborative approach is required and works great.
“We can try and support each other through it, for example, we’ve got all these COVID-19 kits that are ready to go and dropped off at patients’ homes.”
The kits included an oximeter, which measures a person’s oxygen levels, a thermometer, fact sheets and some wellbeing messages.
The service is provided virtually, with a nurse allocated to a patient.
Ms Hutchinson said the nurse would monitor the patient once or twice a day, with the patient also supported by a local general practitioner.
“They would only visit the person’s home if they were worried about the patient,” she said.
“In those cases, the staff member would wear a mask and PPE (personal protective equipment).”
Ms Hutchinson said testing for COVID-19 could also be conducted at home.
“The swabber would be all PPEd up,” Ms Hutchinson said.
“Over the 14 days, the patient needs to be swabbed (tested for COVID-19 multiple times), then hopefully by the end of it they’re all good.
“The infectious and most dangerous part is the first couple of days before they start feeling sick, and up to around day 10, but things surrounding the virus are always changing.”
Ms Hutchinson said the health service was also supported by Bendigo Health’s Loddon Mallee Public Health Unit, who can provide access to respiratory physicians and their emergency department.
“We’ve got really good clinical backup,” Ms Hutchinson said.
Management teams also meet on a regular basis, sometimes daily, which includes chief executives and directors of clinical services.
Local councils can also assist with providing food and pharmacy goods and Neighbourhood Houses have packs to deliver to people who can’t leave their home.
