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Given the company’s experience in responding to outbreaks in the aged care sector in Victoria, Ramsay has proactively reached out to some local aged care providers in New South Wales and Queensland to offer assistance in carrying out risk assessments and providing training in the use of PPE, including donning and doffing competencies.

Ramsay made the decision to share its expertise, resources and guidelines, and provide on-site training to aged care workers in the hope that it may assist those staff in minimising risk and the potential for COVID-19 outbreaks in aged care facilities.

In Western Australia, Joondalup Health Campus (JHC) experts have also coordinated a workshop with WA’s Department of Health (DoH) and residential aged care facilities to prepare for future outbreaks of the virus.

JHC Interim CEO Dr Amanda Ling said WA was lucky because the WA Health Department had already developed a COVID-19 Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACF) Outbreak Plan.  

“JHC staff, having successfully treated more than 40 COVID-positive patients since the start of the pandemic, were also able to share lessons learned and engage with the aged care sector proactively.”

JHC Emergency Management Coordinator Mary McConnell agreed plans are paramount and added the devil is in the detail around what is going to work when a plan is actually rolled out.

“Every plan is a live document that should constantly evolve and be updated, quickly incorporating lessons learned,” she said. “Today is about sharing some of the lessons we’ve already had both here at JHC and also over in Victoria.”

The JHC event also attracted local GPs, nurse practitioners and representatives from local government who joined the 50-strong audience.