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04
May
2020
Community collaboration has been one of the keys to the successful establishment of the Ballina Respiratory Clinic, which opens on Wednesday 6 May at the Cherry Street Sports Club.
North Coast Primary Health Network (NCPHN) is pleased to support the opening of the fee-free, GP-led respiratory clinic as part of the Australian Government’s $2.4 billion health package in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
NCPHN’s CEO Julie Sturgess said the clinic was a great example of local collaboration to support the health and wellbeing of the whole community.
The clinic will assess people with respiratory symptoms and, where appropriate, undertake testing to diagnose respiratory cases, including COVID-19, influenza and pneumonia. Results will be available within one day.
“The clinic will provide the opportunity for people to undergo assessment and testing in a safe environment, close to home and will protect our most vulnerable community members,” Ms Sturgess said.
“Importantly, it will support local health care services – taking the pressure off hospitals and general practices by providing dedicated treatment to people with mild-to-moderate symptoms of fever or sore throat, cough, fatigue or shortness of breath.
“I encourage anyone in our community experiencing these symptoms to book an appointment.”
Dr Tonya Coren, principal GP of Cape Byron Medical Centre, is leading the clinical team coordinating the respiratory clinic.
Dr Coren says collaboration between health care professionals and organisations such as Cherry Street Sports and NCPHN is the most effective way to achieve positive outcomes for the community, in response to COVID-19 and beyond.
“It has been such a pleasure working together to establish the respiratory clinic in Ballina,” Dr Coren said. “Sharing our resources and knowledge, and the concerted effort from everyone involved has been really wonderful.
“It’s a great initiative from the Australian Government and we are proud to be a part of it.”
Cherry Street Sports Club’s General Manager Tere Sheehan said the club’s board believed the respiratory clinic would provide a great service to the local community and they were proud to be involved.
“The coronavirus outbreak has presented our members and our club with a lot of challenges and we are committed to responding in the safest, most innovative ways possible,” Mr Sheehan said
“As always, serving our community is our number one priority, and we believe the respiratory clinic will play a vital role in reducing the risk of further transmission of COVID-19, ensuring the health and safety of our community, as well as helping Ballina get back to business as soon as possible.”
The clinic has been established with the highest standards of infection prevention and control and quality assurance. It has private access through a purpose-built section off the back deck of Cherry Street Sports Club.
Dr Ross Wylie of Ballina Family Medical Centre is one of the GPs who will operate the clinic.
“This clinic, allowing for a rapid assessment of people with respiratory symptoms, will be really valuable for our community,” Dr Wylie said. “It will get COVID-19 swab results back to people via their usual GP really efficiently and is using our stock of personal protection equipment in the most efficient way. The clinic helps us limit the doubling up of much-needed resources.
“This is a great example of a collaborative effort. The Cherry Street Sports Club, which has always been a core part of our community, allying with local health care professionals, the Department of Health, and our local Primary Health Network will offer a supportive environment for people in our community going through difficult times.”
Federal Regional Health Minister, Mark Coulton, said the Ballina clinic would help take the pressure off local hospitals and general practices by providing dedicated treatment to people with mild-to-moderate respiratory symptoms, and help to minimise the risk of infection in the community.
“The clinic is part of a range of measures the Australian Government is putting in place, including additional practice incentives and the expansion of telehealth to enable the rural medical workforce to continue to care for regional Australians through this crisis,” Minister Coulton said.
People should visit HotDoc and use the online booking system to make an appointment. Ballina Respiratory Clinic is open from Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.
The Australian Government is establishing respiratory clinics at key North Coast locations. The majority of clinics will operate out of existing medical practices. They will complement NSW Health’s existing COVID-19 fever clinics at Tweed Heads, Byron Bay, Lismore, Grafton, Coffs Harbour, Kempsey and Port Macquarie.
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