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COVID-19

Last updated 12.00 pm, 25 October, 2022

NSW CASES DAILY UPDATE   and Compulsary registration of a POSITIVE RAT here  plus  How to do a RAT test CORRECTLY

Do you have any symptoms and its after hours? Click on the buttons below to find a health professional in your area.

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Contents

Current situation

Contacts

  • Healthdirect Coronavirus and Vaccine 24/7 Help Line 1800 020 080 
  • Healthdirect 24/7 Help Line (including AFTER HOURS and general health issues) 1800 022 222
  • Link to your local Public Health Unit 1300 066 055
  • Language translator needed? 131450

 

NEWS and Quick Links

MBS online update re COVID

HealthPathways - upcoming changes to the COVID suite of pathways

To ensure the sustainability of ongoing maintenance of COVID information on HealthPathways (both SES and Sydney) the following changes have occurred:

  • COVID-19 Shared Care: retired
  • COVID-19 Self-care Patient Triage and Support: retired
  • COVID-19 Active Case Management – title will change to COVID-19 Management.

Please be assured that all the information from the pathways that were retired is retained on the COVID-19 Management (SES & Sydney) pathway.

Links to our latest weekly COVID-19 and Immunisation news updated every Wednesday

Quick reference guide for fourth dose eligibility COVID-19 vaccine

Long COVID - If people have ongoing symptoms after their acute COVID illness in the community, they are encouraged to seek advice from their GP. The RACGP developed a patient resource titled Managing post COVID-19 Symptoms to assist patients selfmanage fatigue and additional symptoms. GPs may refer patients to Medical Benefits Schedule (MBS) subsidised allied health services if they use a GP Management Plan and Team Care Arrangements. Patients may be eligible for up to five MBS rebated Living with COVID Disease Management (CDM) allied health items per calendar year. 

A reminder to check HealthPathways regularly for the latest updates on caring for COVID positive patients in the community. These have been updated to include information on the new oral antiviral treatments. Dept Health COVID-19 ready kit - living with COVID

RATS (check LANGUAGES drop down menu on top Right Hand Side of page) 

Detailed BOOSTER Information in numerous languages (check LANGUAGES drop down menu on top RIght Hand Side)

COVID Information: multilingual

Omicron: Quarantine arrangements 

COVID-19 rules

BOOK your BOOSTER here or through your GP 

Updated Public Health Orders

COVID Guidelines

Forms for GPs caring for post-hospital COVID patients and recovery fact sheet

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COVID-19 Testing Clinics

Need a PCR test for COVID-19? Search your suburb HERE - includes hours and locations

More testing centre information can be found Here

PLUS

  • In NSW calling 1300 066 055 will direct to your local Public Health Unit
  • South Eastern Sydney Public Health Unit - 02 9382 8333 After hours emergency - 02 9382 2222, ask for Public Health Officer on call
  • Sydney Public Health Unit - 02 9515 9420 After hours emergency - 02 9515 6111, ask for Public Health Officer on call

 

eOrdering pathology remotely?

Use your usual forms, or use THIS CHART  to  remotely eOrder private pathology for your patients. This could be through your clinical information system or logging in directly with the private pathology provider. 

GP Respiratory Clinics 

GP Respiratory clinics will assess people with mild to moderate respiratory symptoms including fever, sore throat, cough, tiredness and shortness of breath. Regardless of whether COVID-19 testing is indicated, or a specimen is taken, the patient will receive clinical guidance about managing their respiratory symptoms. 

Locations of Respiratory Clinics

  • This link is to the HotDocs GP respiratory clinics in NSW.

  • Kirketon Road Mobile Clinic Information: The mobile respiratory clinic, operated by the Kirketon Road Centre, is a mobile, walk-in primary health care assessment service for socially housed, homeless and/or disadvantaged people who are experiencing respiratory symptoms. All centres are wheelchair accessible and testing is FREE. No need for referrals or appointments. Call 0429 802 381 or KRC on 02 9360 2766 for information.

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PPE and infection control

  • IMPORTANT CHANGES ON HOW PPE IS ACCESSED (May 16, 2022)

    In the first instance, primary care providers should source their Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) through local commercial supply. Access to PPE is now via Living with COVID PPE Bundles ordered nationally through PHNs using an online order form and delivered directly by a national distributor (rather than via PHNs).

    Access to PPE from the National Medical Stockpile is dependant on eligibility, and PPE volumes will be monitored by the Commonwealth Department of Health.

    General Practice, ACCHS and GPRCs Ordering Information

    Living with COVID PPE Bundles are available for:

    • GP, ACCHS and GPRCs willing to manage COVID positive patients face-to-face, until 30 September 2022.
    • ACCHSs and rural and remote GPs willing to treat COVID positive patients virtually and respiratory patients face-to-face, where workforce capacity is limited AND the GP is serving the community for most of all health needs, until 30 September 2022.
    • GPs and GPRCs willing to support COVID positive people virtually, and respiratory patients face to face, until 30 September 2022.

    Emergency Provision PPE for General Practice, ACCHS and GPRCs can only be accessed where there is no local supply available commercially, or from another State or Territory government scheme.

    Orders can only be placed once per month and must be submitted to the PHN via the online form.

    Please read the guidance document before placing your first order:

     Pharmacy Ordering Information

    Orders are strictly limited to pharmacists who are directly administering the COVID-19 vaccination. Compliance checks and audits may be undertaken between vaccination volumes and PPE requests.

    Orders can only be placed once per month and must be submitted to the PHN via the online form.

    Please read the guidance document before placing your first order:

Accessing pulse oximeters for your patient and general practice

  • Individual patients - distribution of pulse oximeters to patients identified as high risk is occurring via local health districts. CESPHN have access to a small supply. GPs with patients they believe require a pulse oximeter urgently are asked to complete this CESPHN Pulse Oximeter online form with the patients details and we will arrange delivery of an oximeter.
  • General practices – practices actively seeing moderate risk COVID positive patients can also be sent up to 10 pulse oximeters per practice via the new PPE online ordering form. If your practice has already received 10 pulse oximeters via the previous process, you will need to access future stock through your local suppliers.

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Telehealth MBS Items and Healthdirect Video Call Service

Telehealth Update: Latest

The Government is providing $106 million over four years to support permanent telehealth services, ensuring greater flexibility to patients and doctors for the delivery of  health care; allowing GPs, specialists, and allied health professionals to continue to consult with their regular patients by phone or online.

Further information MBSonline (includes excellent fact sheet summaries for rebates)

 

Digital Health Administration (check out the ADHA Podcast HERE)

e-Delivery:           For more timely medicines for Australians and improve patient safety Information here

e-Referrals:         HealthLink and more information

e-Pathology:       Use THIS CHART  to remotely eOrder pathology for patients

e-Prescribing:    Prescriber Ready GPs and Detailed Information on e-prescribing November 2020, Video vox pop with Dr Hilton Shapiro
plus Toolkit to help with promoting your practice as eprescribing. Log in using these details: digitalhealth.immij.com Username: Pharmacy, Password: digitalhealth. PLUS ADHA Fact Sheet,  ADHA FAQs,  Dept Health Fact Sheet, Watch videos here, ADHA  advice 

 

Healthdirect Video Call service

MBS Item Numbers for telephone telehealth consultations have been reduced. Videoconference services are the preferred approach for substituting face-to-face consultations. CESPHN supports the use of the HealthDirect video call service and has funding for free licences to General Practices under COVID-19 GP Video Call Program. There has been an  extension of the healthdirect Video Call COVID- 19 GP Program to 31 December 2022 and for non-GP type primary care services classed as Mental Health, Aged Care, Maternity, Indigenous Health and Allied Health services the extension will be to 30 June 2023.

Telehealth expert Dr Amandeep Hansra explains Video Telehealth here plus See here for Telehealth Resources from early in the pandemic 

For ENQUIRIES AND ASSISTANCE with any of the above (GPs, Specialists, Allied Health) please email us at telehealth@cesphn.com.au. To register for a FREE Video Call licence, complete Clinic Application Form and send it to telehealth@cesphn.com.au. We can provide you with FREE training and get you up and running fast.

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Resources for General Practice  

There are some IMPORTANT new changes on how PPE is NOW ACCESSED and an update made on 16 May which is that: Orders can only be placed once per month and must be submitted to the PHN via the online form. Please check here

Central and Eastern Sydney PHN has commenced a new COVID home visiting service. The COVID@Home Service provides an in-home assessment service delivered by a registered nurse with the support of a general practitioner. This service is aimed at COVID positive patients whose regular GP is not able to undertake home visits but where such a visit is required for medical and other support reasons while the patient is isolating. CESPHN has developed a referral form template (RTF) that can be imported into Medical Director/Best Practice. This referral form and instructions on how to import and send electronically can be found here. Plus, here is a Managing COVID-19 at home information hub.

NPS MedicineWise has launched a hub containing information on recently approved anti-virals and monoclonal antibody medicines that can be used to treat COVID-19. The hub will provide new clinical information, resources and links to help keep health professionals and consumers up to date with the latest approvals, evidence and guidance.

The hub currently features:

  • FAQs about the use of COVID-19 oral antiviral medicines in residential aged care
  • A medicine table summarising key information about the two oral antivirals (molnupiravir and nirmatrelvir), and also the intravenous medicine sotrovimab.
  • An NPS MedicineWise podcast episode titled The new oral antiviral covid medications: What GPs need to know. Guests are Dr Kate Annear and Associate Professor Charlotte Hespe. Dr Kate Annear is a GP and medical adviser at NPS MedicineWise. Associate Professor Charlotte Hespe is a GP, Head of General Practice and GP Research at the University of Notre Dame and the NSW/ACT Faculty Chair for RACGP. 
  • Australian Prescriber drug summaries on remdesivir and sotrovimab. Drug summaries on molnupiravir, nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir, and casirivimab plus imdevimab will be added next week.

Information on New COVID-19 Medications

Molnupiravir (Lagevrio®) and nirmatrelvir and ritonavir (Paxlovid™) have been provisionally registered by the Therapeutic Goods Administration for the treatment of COVID-19. These medicines can be accessed through NSW Health facilities and General Practitioners may send prescriptions to select NSW Health Pharmacy Departments for dispensing (the nominated facilities are listed in the Prescription and Declaration – Oral antiviral medicines for COVID-19 [GPs] form). These facilities will arrange a suitable collection point with the patient/carer. More Information Here

Note: Medication Safety Updates

NSW Health has created a suite of resources to guide the safe and appropriate use of these medicines. They can be accessed on the CEC Medication Safety Updates webpage or as indicated. See: Letter to Stakeholders

 Information for General Practitioners

COVID-19 – Oral treatments : This language set contains translations of a fact sheet that provides information about the use of oral treatments for people who have tested positive for COVID-19.

Caring for your COVID patients in the home

AT HOME Care of COVID patients - letter from Kerry Chant

Managing COVID-19 at home information hub

GPs caring for COVID-19 positive patients can now obtain medical clearance via the rpavirtual dedicated COVID-19 GP advice and referral support line – 0460 010 127 – which is staffed from 8.00am to 6.00pm daily. They will complete the required documentation on the NSW Patient Flow Portal on GP request. This will trigger the SMS and email messaging and coding directly to the patient. For more information on this process, follow the HealthPathways Sydney COVID-19 Case Management and COVID-19 Virtual Care Requests pathways.

MHR

NOTE: SESLHD ceased faxing discharge summaries and inpatient admission and discharge notifications on 1 November 2020. This information will be available through My Health Record and secure messaging. To receive patient care information successfully, you must be registered for My Health Record and connected to a secure messaging solution. To assist you with this, please contact CESPHN's Digital Health team via digitalhealth@cesphn.com.au

Mental health for health care professionals: A reminder to professionals that it’s important we all look after our own mental health and wellbeing. There are a number of resources available, including: 

  • The Essential Network, a dedicated mental health and wellbeing program led by the Black Dog Institute. The program is delivering tailored mental health support and resources for healthcare workers and is available in both the Apple Store and the Google Play Store and online at blackdoginstitute.org.au/ten.
  • DRS4DRS service which provides mental health consultations for doctors and medical students.

A free 24/7 COVID-19 Mental Wellbeing Support Service available via phone on 1800 512 348 or at coronavirus.beyondblue.org.au

Useful Links

  • To update GP and practice details please contact one of the following hospitals and your details will be updated for all SESLHD Hospitals

    Calvary Hospital, Clinical Information Service: 9553 3488     
    Prince of Wales Hospital, Health Information Unit: 9382 9172    
    Royal Hospital for Women, Health Information Unit: 9382 9172    
    St George Hospital, Clinical Information Service: 9113 2888     
    Sutherland Hospital, Clinical Information Service: 9113 2888     
    Sydney Hospital & Sydney Eye Hospital, Medical Records Department: 9382 7339    
    War Memorial Hospital Medical Records Department: 9369 0242 

 

Supporting Women 

Comirnaty is safe for pregnant women and breastfeeding women. Pregnant women should be routinely offered Comirnaty (Pfizer) COVID-19 vaccine at any stage of pregnancy.Women who are trying to become pregnant do not need to delay vaccination or avoid becoming pregnant after vaccination. Pregnant women have a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Their babies also have a higher risk of being born prematurely. For more information see Joint RANZCOG and ATAGI statement on COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women

Breastscreen NSW  ph: 132050

For up-to-date information about the GP Antenatal Share Care programs, please visit the Maternal Health pages.

Australian Breastfeeding Association is a Registered Training Organisation offering nationally-recognised courses for health professionals.

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HealthPathways

Both South Eastern Sydney and Sydney HealthPathways sites have a range of COVID-19 assessment, management and referral content. New users will be able to request access on their local HealthPathways home page. To access these pathways, use the following links:

Specific case management pathways (users should refer to the pathway region based on where the patient lives).

SouthEastern Sydney: COVID-19 Active Case Management

Sydney: COVID-19 Active Case Management
              COVID-19 Assessment and Management in Residential Aged Care

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COVID at Home Visiting Service

We are encouraging GPs to refer to the COVID at Home Service which provides an ‘in-home’ assessment service delivered by a Registered Nurse with the support of a GP. 

This service is aimed at COVID positive patients whose regular GP is not able to undertake home visits but where such a visit is required for medical and other support reasons while the patient is isolating.

Referrals will only be accepted from GPs. 

Click here to find out more about the service and how to refer.

If you have any enquiries, contact coronavirus@cesphn.com.au. 

CESPHN Vax at Home Service

The CESPHN Vax at Home Service is for those people who are housebound and not able to leave their house to receive a COVID-19 vaccination or booster. The service will accept referrals for people 16 years and over. Referrals will be accepted from GPs and from Local Health Districts. Patient self-referrals will not be accepted.

All Vax at Home Service referrals must be sent through this Vax at Home Service Online Form. Please also indicate if an influenza vaccine is also required.

Please note, a referral will need to be attached to the online form. For further information on the program, please contact us.

Education: Videos and webinars

See here for our CPD calendar

See here for upcoming external events

Link to CESPHN's full video library here 

Link to Australian Government COVID-19 video library

Link to NSW Dept Health COVID-19 videos

Link to RACGP

Link to COVID related videos from 2020 and early 2021

Australian Government COVID-19 Webinars and Videos

RACGP Upcoming Webinars

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Allied Health Professionals

CESPHN's Allied Health Engagement Strategy 2022-2025

There has been an  extension of the healthdirect Video Call COVID- 19 GP Program to 31 December 2022 and for non-GP type primary care services classed as Mental Health, Aged Care, Maternity, Indigenous Health and Allied Health services the extension will be to 30 June 2023.

Watch our vox pop series where we interview primary health workers including allied health professionals HERE

Residential aged care COVID-19 measures to increase allied health access

Links to COVID Allied Health videos from 2020 and early 2021

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Aged Care providers 

COVID-19 Support Portal: RACFs

Letter: Support Portal Reporting Requirements

This is the aged care and disability sector COVID-19 vaccination booking system

COVID-19: Advice for aged care services

Latest COVID-19 Advice for Residential Aged Care Facilities

Latest Advice for Home Care Service Providers

Residential aged care facility outbreak management protocol

PPE email for RACFs agedcarecovidppe@health.gov.au. (The following information must be provided in your email request: 1. The facility, program or service requiring PPE. 2. If you have had a confirmed case of COVID-19 at your facility, program or service. 3. Types and quantities of PPE required. 4. Details of other suppliers you have attempted to source PPE stock from.)

Aged care mental health: The Australian Government expanded access for aged care residents to Medicare subsidised individual psychological services. Up until 30 June 2022, aged care residents can access up to 20 individual psychological services per calendar year where their GP or psychiatrist determines they would clinically benefit from additional mental health support. For more information on Better Access for aged care residents, go to the Department of Health’s website 

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Resources for Community providers

This provider alert along with other resources and information about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout is available from a dedicated web page for disability service providers on the Department of Health website. This page will be updated regularly.

Create your own QR Code

The Department of Health have released a series of videos addressing a number of COVID-19 vaccine questions

Advice for employers from the Australian Government Department of Health

Disability Services Consulting has released a free e-learning module 

Sexual Health and COVID-19: link to website plus see here for webinar discussing COVID-19 for the BBV and STI sectors and further information on care with BBVs and sexual health

Health care workers: Link to Infection control training video

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Community information

Register a POSITIVE RAT here

NSW household contacts of COVID-19 are longer required to isolate.

Multilingual, trained case managers have been employed to triage enquiries and connect International Students with government and community support services during the COVID-19 pandemic

BOOK your BOOSTER here or through your GP

What to do if you have COVID-19

As we head into winter, it is important to consider vacinations - both COVID-19 and influenza. Healthy people aged 16 to 64 who do not have a risk factor for severe disease and who have received three doses of COVID-19 vaccine are not recommended to receive a winter booster dose at this time. This includes health care workers and pregnant women who do not have other risk factors. ATAGI recommends an additional booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine to increase vaccine protection before winter for selected population groups who are at greatest risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and who have received their primary vaccination and first booster dose. These groups are:

  • Adults aged 65 years and older
  • Residents of aged care or disability care facilities
  • People aged 16 years and older with severe immunocompromise (as defined in the  ATAGI statement on the use of a 3rd primary dose of COVID-19 vaccine in individuals who are severely immunocompromised)
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 years and older.

The additional winter booster dose can be given from 4 months or longer after the person has received their first booster dose, or from 3 months after a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, if infection occurred since the person’s first COVID-19 booster dose.

The additional winter booster dose is now available to coincide with the 2022 influenza vaccination program.

Free flu vaccinations: more information.

COVID-19 rules

The CESPHN Vax at Home Service is ONLY for those people who are housebound and not able to leave their house to receive a COVID-19 vaccination or booster (their carers will also be able to be vaccinated). The Vax at Home Service will accept referrals for people 16 years and over. For children 12-16 years with special circumstances and may require further support, referrals will be reviewed on a case by case basis. Patients should speak with their GP for a referral to this program if appropriate. Referrals will be accepted from general practitioners and from Local Health Districts. Patient self-referrals will NOT be accepted. All referrals MUST be sent through this Vax at Home Service Online Form – for people who are housebound and reside in the Sydney Local Health District or South Eastern Sydney Local Health District regions.  Please indicate if an influenza vaccine is also required. For further information on the program, please email vaxathomeservice@cesphn.com.au.

REOPENING NSW COVID 'ROAD MAPS' in multiple languages:  English, Arabic, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Thai, Tamil, Serbian, Punjabi, Korean, Italian, Greek, Simplified Chinese 

COVID-19 Support is available at the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre

Need proof of vaccination? How to access proof of vaccination

BOOK COVID Vaccine NOW in convenient locations through the eligibility checker    

Latest information

Videos, guides and resources are available detailing how to:

  • create a myGov account and link Medicare
  • check contact details for Medicare are up to date
  • view an immunisation history statement.

Children's guide to going to a COVID-19 testing clinic
We know the thought of getting a COVID-19 test can be scary especially for young children. This booklet has been developed by the Western Sydney Local Health District to support families of children aged three to five, prepare for a COVID-19 test.   

Useful links

Healthdirect can help Access to medical help after hours

Restriction Checker keeps up to date information on what is and isn't allowed

COVID Vaccine information in YOUR language

Information on Setting up a QR code 

Healthdirect Symptom Checker guides you to the appropriate healthcare action which is also available on the Healthdirect app

FAQs from Healthdirect on coronavirus

 

There IS SUPPORT for VULNERABLE GROUPS

Mental Health: Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islanders now have access to a 24/7 National Crisis Support telephone service, ensuring they can receive culturally safe and appropriate health services where and when they are needed. This service can be navigated through the headstart mental health site.

Multicultural

Language Services

COVID information (check numerous languages link at top RHS

Vaccination Kits in Arabic, Assyrian, Chaldean, Chinese

VIDEO: Our multicultural community tell us why they got vaccinated

Languages other than English: Multilingual Resources on COVID-19 PLUS COVID Vaccine information in YOUR language

Need proof of vaccination? How to access proof of vaccination

COVID information for multicultural communities

COVIDSafe APP is available in Arabic, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean and Vietnamese

Mental health/loneliness 

For people feeling socially isolated, the Red Cross has a chat service to help people feel connected

Community Visitors Scheme

Extensive mental health information and contacts.

Disability

The Department of Health will continue to update the following webpage Information for people with disability about COVID-19 vaccines with any new advice on the COVID-19 vaccine rollout

This is the aged care and disability sector COVID-19 vaccination booking system

Disability Information: Extensive contacts

Your Story Disability Legal Support video

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health 

July 2020 posters  

Extensive information 

Homelessness, domestic violence and unemployed

pdf Newtown Neighborhood Centre - useful resources (241 KB)  

Free TAFE courses to assist job seekers: More information is available via TAFE NSW or by calling 131 601 today

FREE sustainability course

Telehealth

Other helpful Information


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Useful Links

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Business Support

As small businesses you may be entitled to some government help 

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Further questions

If you have a question or would like additional support please email coronavirus@cesphn.com.au

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