Benjamin Millar and Goya Dmytryshchak
Western Health has established a dedicated Respiratory Assessment Clinic at Sunshine Hospital and prepared new wards with extra acute and intensive care capacity for coronavirus.
It has also taken the extraordinary step of asking the public to help pay for vital equipment and services.
An Emergency Relief Fund has been set up to help pay for new equipment to cover increased demand during the crisis situation, as well as fund telehealth services and a wellbeing program for frontline staff.
Western Health Foundation director Julia White said although the health service has budgets in place, resources will be stretched to the limit while fighting the pandemic.
“The Emergency Response Fund will empower us to purchase those items we may not even know we need yet, and to do so quickly when we need to,” she said.
It comes amid a glimmer of hope as Victoria’s chief health officer on Sunday said the “curve is flattening” as the state recorded the lowest daily number of new cases since March 16, numbering 21.
The latest Victorian Department of Health and Human Services data, released on Sunday, showed 13 cases in Hobsons Bay, 10 in Maribyrnong, 27 in both Wyndham and Brimbank and 31 in Moonee Valley.
Victoria has 1135 coronavirus cases as of Sunday, and eight people across the state have died. The number of community transmissions stands at 75.
Western Health executive director of operations Natasha Toohey said preparations were being made for the worst case scenario.
“As we’ve seen around the world, it’s very difficult to predict where outbreaks will occur,” she said.
“Western Health has spent the past two months preparing, across all areas of our organisation, for a wide range of scenarios …[we have] plans in place to expand our intensive care units if required. This involves two main areas of preparation – getting the physical spaces ready and equipped and training additional staff to be ready to work in those areas.”
Ms Toohey said the organisation was looking to recruit additional health professionals, particularly those who are trained or have worked in intensive care, emergency and acute hospital-based areas.
Premier Daniel Andrews has thanked the majority of Victorian’s for adhering tough stage 3 social distancing restrictions to help flatten the curve.
However, in 24 hours to Monday morning, Victoria Police had issued 108 fines and conducted 983 spot checks at homes, businesses and non-essential services across the state as part of Operation Sentinel.
As lockdown continues, Victorian schools are expected to reopen next term for children of essential services workers but most students are expected to study remotely.
The federal government has made childcare free for families for up to six months and sessional kindergarten will be free in term two.
with Tate Papworth
