RACF outbreak or exposure?
A residential aged care facility (RACF) COVID-19 outbreak is now defined as when: a resident who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 via a PCR test and has been onsite at the RACF at any time during their infectious period two or more staff/visitors diagnosed with COVID-19 through PCR test within 72 hours who worked/visited during
COVID-19 update
NSW Health has announced updates to the way low-risk COVID-positive patients will be managed in the community. Healthy North Coast acknowledges that these announcements and the growing number of COVID-19 cases will impact general practitioners and practice staff, as well as other primary care clinicians. We will continue to share information from NSW Health and
Telehealth Medicare items made permanent
The Department of Health has announced plans to make telehealth item numbers permanent, with $106 million being invested over four years. Telehealth has been recognised for the critical role it has played in ensuring continuity of care for hundreds of thousands of Australian patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, protecting the health of patients and health
Holiday arrangements for ordering COVID-19 vaccines
With the holiday season fast approaching, practices should begin planning for the number of COVID-19 vaccines needed from mid-to-late December 2021 to mid-January 2022. When ordering, consider the additional stock and consumables needed to meet demand over the holiday period. The table below provides key dates for ordering and deliveries over the Christmas/New Year period.
What to do when a COVID-19 vaccination patient refuses consent
The Australian Government has offered guidance to vaccination providers on handling consent refusal by people presenting for COVID-19 vaccination. Vaccine providers have reported some people have requested vaccination but have refused to provide informed consent. One example is where a person required vaccination for employment. In some instances, people became aggressive, abusive, offered bribes to
TGA provisionally approves Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for 5 to 11-year-olds
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has provisionally approved the Comirnaty Paediatric (Pfizer) COVID-19 vaccine for 5 to 11-year-olds. The TGA’s provisional approval of the vaccine was based on a careful evaluation of available data to support its safety and efficacy among this age group. The paediatric vaccine dose is one-third the size approved for people
Aged care reforms and RACF Christmas outbreak reminder
Healthy North Coast is planning for specific areas of reform in accordance with the Australian Government aged care reforms announced in May 2021. The five core projects will be focused on: access to virtual health service in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) residential aged care out-of-hours care early healthy ageing interventions for senior Australians greater
Working group planning for COVID care in the community
Healthy North Coast and the Mid North Coast Local Health District are inviting general practitioners and nurses working in general practices across the Mid North Coast to participate in the Caring for COVID-19 Positive Patients in the Community Working Group. This working group will review and develop care pathways to deliver a consistent framework that
Update to COVID-19 HealthPathways
The COVID-19 Practice Management HealthPathway has been decommissioned and replaced with a new pathway: COVID-19 PPE, Infection Control and Exposure Response. This change occurred to provide up-to-date information in relation to PPE, infection control and exposure response. To view all other COVID-19 HealthPathways and recent changes, click here. For a list of all localised pathways
COVID-19 in children: resources for primary care
The Sydney Child Health Program has been working extensively with experts from the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network to develop a COVID-19 education module for GPs and primary healthcare workers in preparation for the transition of care of kids with COVID-19 back into the community. This module comes at an important time for GPs and primary
Prepare your practice for an open Australia
Earlier in November, Healthy North Coast held a webinar event in response to the easing of public health restrictions and the ongoing risk of service disruption through community transmission of COVID-19. Facilitated by Kim Poyner and Riwka Hagen, the webinar examined how healthcare providers can navigate and plan for the new COVID-normal. The webinar attracted
Are your patients eligible for home COVID-19 vaccination?
A nurse immuniser from the Northern NSW Local Health District can now visit eligible people in their homes to give a COVID-19 vaccine. Your patients may be eligible if they: have an injury, long-term health issue or condition that makes it hard for them to move around or leave home have a disability are a
