Nurses flag test concerns

GEELONG nurses have raised “urgent concerns” with Barwon Health regarding Covid-19 leave, emergency department ventilation and lengthy testing delays for health care workers.

The concerns were raised by Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Victoria branch members at a Geelong meeting on January 13.

Greater Geelong recorded 551 new cases of Covid-19 through PCR tests, as of Thursday.

A further 37 new cases through PCR tests were recorded in the Surf Coast Shire, 13 in the Borough of Queenscliffe and 34 new cases were recorded in the ColacOtway Shire.

Across the Barwon South West region there were 850 new cases recorded through PCR tests and 585 cases recorded through rapid antigen tests.

As of Thursday there were 51 Covid-19 inpatients at Geelong hospital, including six in the ICU.

Victoria recorded 21,966 new Covid cases on Thursday along with 15 deaths and 1206 hospitalisations.

Of those in Victorian hospitals, 122 were in intensive care, including 40 on a ventilator.

In a letter to Barwon Health management, the union’s industrial relations organiser, Sandra Oakley, said members were waiting up to 10 days to receive PCR results.

“ANMF request that Barwon Health confirm what processes are in place for the processing of staff PCR tests and how it plans to have these unsafe response times addressed,” Ms Oakley said.

The union raised concerns about staff access to special paid leave and claimed staff were unable to easily access rapid antigen tests.

“Members report issues that test kits are available at limited locations, limited times and that only one kit is provided each time,” Ms Oakley said.

“If staff are required to do daily RATs, in particular, this is unreasonable.”

She said the ANMF wanted Barwon Health to “review its processes to ensure that all staff, across all sites, across all shifts have access to kits” and that they have the option to access enough kits to comply with the daily testing requirements.

Ms Oakley said concerns were also raised about maternity patients receiving treatment before the return of PCR tests and about the standard of ventilation in ED.

“Concerns were raised about the standard of ventilation and air filtration in the department and whether they meet Covid-19 obligations,” she said.

“Please provide confirmation of testing undertaken and measures in place to meet those obligations.”

Barwon Health spokeswoman Kate Bibby said Barwon Health was following the recently released Department of Health guidelines regarding leave, including access to special leave.

Ms Bibby said there had been delays for all PCR results, but said staff results were currently within 24 hours while RATs were available at a number of location.

"University Hospital Geelong has undertaken comprehensive engineering assessments across the hospital including in ED, and each area where Covid patients are cared for,” she said.

“These areas meet the Department of Health’s guidelines and ventilation requirements are part of a broader set of infection prevention arrangements in place to protect staff and patients.”

She said maternity patients are screened for Covid and a combination of RAT and PCR testing was used on a case-bycase basis.