23 June 2020
Below is a link to the South Western Sydney Local Health District’s infographic of COVID-19 cases, testing and sources of infection across SWS for Monday, 22 June.
Topic: COVID-19
16 June 2020
Below is a link to the South Western Sydney Local Health District’s infographic of COVID-19 cases, testing and sources of infection across SWS for Tuesday, 9 June.
16 June 2020
Below is a link to the South Western Sydney Local Health District’s infographic of COVID-19 cases, testing and sources of infection across SWS for Monday, 15 June.
15 June 2020
The weekly COVID-19 Surveillance in NSW report has a special in-focus section on COVID-19 hospitalisations in NSW. To read the report.
01 June 2020
Below is a link to the South Western Sydney Local Health District’s infographic of COVID-19 cases, testing and sources of infection across SWS for Monday, 1 June.
25 May 2020
Below is a link to the South Western Sydney Local Health District’s infographic of COVID-19 cases, testing and sources of infection across SWS for Monday, 25 May.
19 May 2020
Below is a link to the South Western Sydney Local Health District’s infographic of COVID-19 cases, testing and sources of infection across SWS for Monday, 18 May.
19 May 2020
COVID-19 testing has never been easier with all four Commonwealth-funded GP-led respiratory clinics earmarked for South Western Sydney now operating.
The clinics at Fairfield, Campbelltown, Picton and Mittagong are among up to 100 clinics that have been established across the country under the Australian Government’s $2.4 billion National Health Plan.
In March, the government announced $206.7 million to support the rapid establishment of the clinics which are testing and treating the 80 per cent of COVID-19 patients who experience only mild to moderate fever and respiratory symptoms.
South Western Sydney Primary Health Network (SWSPHN) has been working with the Commonwealth Department of Health and local general practices to identify the most appropriate location for our region’s clinics.
The GP-led respiratory clinics complement the nurse-led flu assessment clinics operating at Bowral, Campbelltown, Liverpool, Fairfield and Bankstown hospitals, giving people living in our community greater access to testing.
SWSPHN Chief Executive Officer, Dr Keith McDonald PhD, said the respiratory clinics were a crucial part of the mix of healthcare services being used to respond to COVID-19.
“Our clinics have been located as part of an established general practice already dedicated to supporting their communities,” he said.
“The clinics are playing a valuable role in helping to ensure hospitals are preserved for people with severe conditions and allowing GPs to continue to treat their usual patients.”
The GP-led respiratory clinics differ from the flu assessment clinics testing for COVID-19 at local public hospitals, with the respiratory clinics offering both holistic assessment plus screening for patients presenting with mild to moderate fever and respiratory symptoms.
Dr Dong Hua, who is operating the respiratory clinics at Campbelltown and Fairfield, said Fairfield had experienced one of the earliest cases of COVID-19. He said he had opened the clinics to support frontline healthcare workers in helping to flatten the curve.
“Our respiratory clinics in Fairfield and Campbelltown are stand-alone respiratory clinics and are staffed well by GPs and nurses who are well informed about COVID-19 and managing other respiratory illnesses such as influenza and pneumonias,” Dr Hua said.
“As stand-alone clinics, there is minimal risk to the non-respiratory patients and the broader community.”
Dr Hua said he’d been impressed by what the Commonwealth and State governments had achieved and proud of what the community had achieved in recent weeks by practicing social distancing and good hygiene.
“New cases now are remarkably low but we must not be complacent as the easing of some restrictions is planned,” he said.
“Recent announcements by the government has encouraged the expansion of testing to all those who are experiencing mild to moderate flu like symptoms. These purpose-built respiratory clinics are ideal in minimising transmission through increased testing.
“This, in conjunction with the COVIDSafe app, will help us detect community transmission and do better contact tracing.”
The clinics are located at:
• Fairfield Respiratory Clinic, at 65 Ware Street Fairfield, is open Mondays to Saturdays – Tuesday to Friday, 9am to 6pm and Saturday, 9am to 1pm.
• Campbelltown Respiratory Clinic, Shop 1, 251 Queen Street, Campbelltown, is open Mondays to Fridays, 9am to 6pm.
• Mittagong GP Respiratory Clinic, at 58 Bowral Road, Mittagong, is open seven days a week, 9am to 5pm.
• Picton Respiratory Clinic, at Shop T28/ 9 Margaret Street, Picton, is open Mondays to Fridays, 1.30pm to 5.30pm.
Patients must make an appointment before attending the clinics. Appointments can be made online via HotDoc or by calling the clinic directly for assistance. Patients can also be referred by their GP or by calling Health Direct.
A full list of local respiratory clinics, flu assessment clinics and local drive-thru clinics operated by private pathology can be found on our website.
19 May 2020
South Western Sydney doctors have backed calls urging people with chronic health conditions and acute medical issues not to neglect their regular healthcare and to continue to see their GP or specialist during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The doctors’ calls echo an RACGP and Federal Government plea to all Australians to not put off seeing their GP.
Dr Nathan Cooney, from Wintergarden Family Practice at Bowral, has reassured patients that general practices are as safe as possible.
“For example, we don’t see anyone here with coughs and colds in the building,” he said.
“We have a tent in our carport where we see people with coughs and colds.
“We’ve got Perspex up in reception, the number of people we have in our waiting room has been reduced to probably a quarter of what we’d normally do, and we’ve got the resources for lots of personal hygiene and lots of PPE equipment.
“With the numbers being so low in the community now I feel that it’s very safe to come in.”
Most local GPs are also adopting telehealth consultations, speaking to patients via the telephone or online and following-up face-to-face if needed.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt last month urged those with existing health conditions to continue to seek care for the management of their condition.
Since the COVID lockdown, visits to general practice were down an estimated 30 per cent while pathology had dropped around 40 per cent. Some patients have been putting off X-rays and ultrasounds for more than three weeks.
“Whether in person, or through the expanded telehealth network, it’s critical that people continue to manage their general health throughout the COVID-19 health emergency,” Mr Hunt said.
“Your GP is there to help you follow your treatment plan and improve your health.
“If you have a regular follow up appointment booked with your doctor, please contact your medical practice to see if this can be carried out using a telehealth consultation (by telephone, or video call), or if you need to see your doctor for a face-to-face consultation.
“If you are taking regular medication for management of a chronic condition, it is essential that you continue to take your medication. If you run out of medication, please contact your doctor or your local pharmacy to arrange a repeat prescription.
“A failure to keep appointments and continue treatment could also put you at greater risk of being severely affected by COVID-19.”
Chronic conditions include arthritis, asthma, back pain, cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes and mental health conditions.
However, Dr Cooney said he had also had non-chronic patients delay treatment for fear of the virus, including one with a suspected broken foot.
“I had someone come in for a flu vax but about three weeks before they had a mini fall and had quite severe pain in their foot,” he said.
“They thought it was a fracture but decided not to come in. They thought the flu vax was more important than their broken foot.”
Dr Cooney said GPs could do a very thorough run down of people’s health over the phone or via video consult.
“If people are afraid, I think the first step is just phone and we’ll see what we can deal with over the phone. If we can’t deal with some things, maybe you’ll have to come in but there’s no harm in making a phone call.”
12 May 2020
NSW Health’s Agency for Clinical Innovation has developed resources to support healthcare workers care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The newly published A&TSI Health Professionals Resource Toolkit has been developed in collaboration with Australian Indigenous Doctors Association (AIDA), Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA) and Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives (CATSINaM).
- The toolkit includes posters on important contacts, tips and information to assist our A&TSI health professionals care for themselves, as well as posters to care for their communities. It is available at the following link A&TSI Health Professionals Resource Toolkit.
- The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker Association (NATSIHWA) has also developed an A&TSI Health Worker and Health Practitioner Exemplar Health Assessment flowchart to support a safe work environment during the COVID-19 crisis for A&TSI health worker and health practitioner professionals. The flowchart includes traditional face-to-face Medicare item numbers centred around a client’s journey throughout a 715 Health Assessment which is overlayed by COVID-19 video and teleconferencing Medicare item numbers.
Please find attached additional COVID-19 health resources.
Community of Practise Update – 5 May 2020
Heart Foundation COVID-19 Resource
ACI/COVID-19 respiratory lung function testing resource
Health Consumers NSW COVID-19 resource