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Close this windowLast updated 2.00 pm, 5 August, 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.
Contacts
NEWS and Quick Links
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:
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)
COVID Information: multilingual
Omicron: Quarantine arrangements
BOOK your BOOSTER here or through your GP
Forms for GPs caring for post-hospital COVID patients and recovery fact sheet
Need a PCR test for COVID-19? Search your suburb HERE – includes hours and locations
More testing centre information can be found Here
PLUS
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 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.
Accessing pulse oximeters for your patient and general practice
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.
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:
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:
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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 COVID related videos from 2020 and early 2021
Australian Government COVID-19 Webinars and Videos
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
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
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.
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
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:
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.
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
Videos, guides and resources are available detailing how to:
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
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
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
Homelessness, domestic violence and unemployed
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
Other helpful Information
As small businesses you may be entitled to some government help
If you have a question or would like additional support please email coronavirus@cesphn.com.au
As you may have noticed, our website looks different. Central and Eastern Sydney PHN have moved to a new site and although much has remained the same, we have introduced some new functions.
More than 600 pathways are now available to help you assess and manage medical conditions.
Did you know members of our local GP networks can attend events for free?
Search for vacant positions in local general practices.
Don’t miss the opportunity to share your opinion or expertise.
