Chief Executive COVID-19 Update: 2 December

Coronavirus (COVID-19) update – 2 December 2021

As of today, we have:

• 49 COVID-19 positive inpatients
• 18 employees with COVID-19
• 13 employees in precautionary quarantine

In this update, we cover:

• The Omicron COVID-19 variant
• Providing evidence of your vaccination status
• Monash Health’s 2021 AGM/Open Board meeting
• International Day of People with Disability (IDPWD)
• 1,535 thanks for our long-serving employees and volunteers
• Our Service Modification Operational Plan – December 2021 / January 2022
• Refocusing our vaccination program
• Team celebrations
• 90 years of Jessie McPherson Private Hospital
• Our new Drug and Alcohol use in the Workplace procedure
• STAR Award winners
• Urology team ‘pumping the pedals’ this Friday and Saturday
• 2022 HESTA Nursing and Midwifery Awards
• Our sacred spaces and prayer rooms reopen

By now you will be aware that a new variant of COVID-19 has emerged. Known as Omicron, it has been classified as a variant of concern by the World Health Organisation.

As a precaution, border security measures and quarantine requirements have changed for overseas arrivals entering Victoria, including those who have been in an extreme risk country in the past 14 days.

If you have been in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, The Seychelles, Malawi or Mozambique within the past 14 days, please immediately self-isolate and contact Professor Rhonda Stuart. Do not attend work.

There is understandably a lot of conjecture about what the Omicron variant will mean for us. In short, it is too soon to tell; however, it is important to remember that we expect to see COVID-19 variants emerge.

At Tuesday’s Employee Forum, Professor Rhonda Stuart provided an update on what we know about Omicron so far. I encourage you to watch Rhonda’s presentation here.

My advice to our community is;

1. If you are not vaccinated, please do so as soon as possible.
2. If you are due for your third immunisation, please have it.
3. Be prepared to act more cautiously if Omicron is shown to be more infectious or vaccine evasive (or both).
4. Listen to a reliable source of information.  Monash Health will continue to keep you informed about what we know and what is not known.
5. Do not get ahead of the science.  We will know a lot more in a few weeks.

Providing evidence of your vaccination status

In line with our commitment to Chief Health Officer’s released directions on mandatory vaccination for healthcare workers, we are now required to collect evidence of vaccination.

We are contacting team members whose evidence is outstanding directly to ask that they provide a copy of their Immunisation Statement via the COVID-19 Vaccination Evidence Form by 15 December 2021.

• Employees who wish to check our record of their COVID-19 Immunisation can do so via HR21 Employee Self Service Under My Details | Vaccination Records.
• Managers can check the vaccination evidence status of their team via the Vaccination Dashboard.

If you were vaccinated at a Monash Health vaccination clinic, we already have evidence of your vaccination status, and no further action is required.

Open Board and Annual General Meeting Today

Join us at 2pm this afternoon for the 2021 Monash Health Annual General Meeting and Open Board Meeting.

At a time when information and misinformation is so readily available, the pandemic has required community and healthcare leaders to be a reliable, trusted source of information.

At this year’s Open Board meeting, we will be joined in conversation by a number of influential people to hear about their experience over the past 18 months and discuss their observations, approach and lessons learned.

• Victoria’s Chief Health Officer, Professor Brett Sutton
• ABC Melbourne’s Drive presenter, Rafael Epstein 
• Channel 7’s State Political Reporter, Sharnelle Vella
• Monash Health’s Senior Advisor Community Engagement, Silva Navaretian

We will also report back on what we have done since last year’s Open Board meeting discussion on patient experience and report back on our year of operations in the AGM.

We will again be meeting online – please register your attendance by midday today. To register, please visit www.monashhealth.org/agm.

Thank you, as always, for the care you show our community and each other.

Andrew Stripp
Chief Executive

Key Messages

STAR Awards continue to shine at employee forum

At this week’s employee forum,  the STAR Awards for Exceptional Teamwork and Excellence in Research, Teaching and Innovation were presented. Hear about our two impressive winners, Sacha and Silvana, here.

Celebrating with colleagues

With the end of the year approaching and restrictions eased, many teams will be looking forward to getting together to celebrate. Please remember:

1. No onsite gatherings: due to the sensitive nature of the health care setting, social gatherings cannot be held at Monash Health premises and there is to be no shared platters onsite.
2. Always follow the updated State-wide COVID-Safe Settings.

1,535 thanks for our long-serving employees and volunteers 

At this year’s Length of Service Awards, we celebrated over 1,535 employees and volunteers who dedicated from five to 55 years of remarkable service to Monash Health.

While COVID-19 restrictions meant the Awards were again held virtually this year, each ceremony was a wonderful celebration filled with incredible memories, videos and live interviews with employees. You can watch any celebrations you may have missed here. 

International Day of People with Disability (IDPWD)

International Day of People with Disability (IDPWD), on Friday 3 December 2021, is an opportunity to celebrate the contribution and achievements of people with a disability and to question the way we think about disability, particularly in the workplace.

The disability royal commission heard recently that 53.4% of people with a disability of working age were unemployed in 2018, a figure that’s remained stable for decades. So, it’s important that we all challenge ourselves to do more. You can read more here about how we’ll be marking this important day.

90 years of Jessie McPherson Private Hospital

Yesterday marked 90 years of care at Jessie McPherson Private Hospital (JMPH). Initially created as the private wing of the Queen Victoria Hospital in the city of Melbourne, JMPH opened its doors for the first time on 1 December 1931.

In 1977, with the Jessie McPherson Hospital, the Queen Vic amalgamated with McCulloch House to become the Queen Victoria Medical Centre. In 1987, it moved to Clayton to join Monash Medical Centre and support Monash Health (then Southern Health).

My congratulations to the Jessie McPherson Private Hospital team on this considerable milestone and their ongoing contribution to the Monash Health family. After 90 years, the legacy of Sir William McPherson is still evident at Jessie McPherson, which is to provide the very best care, experience and outcomes to the community they serve.

Service Modification Operational Plan December 2021 / January 2022

As in previous years, we will reduce our planned activity during the Christmas/New Year period. This year’s operational plan is particularly important in the context of COVID-19 and aims to strike a balance between:

• Maintenance of clinical services in the setting of ongoing COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 demand, and;
• The need for employees to take a well-deserved break where possible as we prepare for the year ahead.

Clinical activities

There will be a reduction in planned clinical activities across a four-week period from Monday 13 December 2021. Some clinical services and sites will either temporarily close or reduce their capacity during this time in line with reduced demand.

A special thank you to everyone who is working or on-call over the holiday period. Your contribution is very much appreciated and vital for our patients. To all our colleagues who can use this opportunity to take a break, enjoy a well-earned rest.

Vaccination

Our vaccination sites will close from 24 December 2021 to 3 January 2022, reopening with normal activity from 4 January 2022.

Screening

The Monash Health led screening service at the Clayton drive-through testing site will close 25 – 28 December 2021 (inclusive), 1 and 3 January 2022. Priority patient groups (maternity/theatres) will be diverted to the Dandenong drive-through testing site on these days.

The Clayton drive-through (run by 4Cyte) will continue to operate throughout, with extended hours of 8am – 8pm. Employee priority access will be maintained at the Dandenong drive-through testing site.

Refer to the Christmas / New Year Service Modification Plan here for full details.

Refocusing our vaccination program

Since delivering the state’s first COVID-19 vaccination on 22 February 2021, Monash Health’s South East Public Health Unit has gone on to deliver over 1.15 million doses to the community.

The vaccination rate across the south-east is currently 92% first dose and 88% second dose, for those 12 years of age and older.

Given the high vaccination rate across our catchment, our clinics are now experiencing lower demand. To ensure we are using our resources wisely, we are adjusting capacity accordingly, while offering targeted mobile and in reach vaccination clinic options to meet the community’s needs.

Thank you to everyone who has played a part in our vaccination program to date. Every single dose of vaccine delivered has contributed to Victoria’s reopening.

New ‘Drug and Alcohol use in the Workplace’ procedure available on PROMPT

A new procedure outlining drug and alcohol use in the workplace is now available on PROMPT, along with information guides for both employees and managers.

The new procedure and resources have been developed to ensure employees and managers are informed of their responsibilities regarding drug and alcohol use in the workplace. More information and resources are available here.  

Urology team ‘pumping the pedals’ this Friday 3 and Saturday 4 December 2021

The Monash Health Urology team is all set to ‘pump the pedals for prostate cancer’ at Casey Hospital this Friday and Saturday.  The 1000km virtual cycling challenge kicks off at 1pm on Friday. Learn more about Pump the Pedals here.

Do you know a nurse or midwife with an exceptional story worth celebrating? 

Nominate one of your incredible colleagues for the 2022 HESTA Nursing and Midwifery Awards!

Nominations for these awards are now open and close on 6 February 2022.

These national awards aim to recognise the nurses, midwives, nurse educators, researchers and personal care workers who improve health outcomes by providing outstanding care and support for Australians in need.

Our sacred spaces and prayer rooms reopen

All sacred spaces and prayer rooms across several Monash Health sites have been reopened for use. These spaces are places where all faiths and understandings of spirituality are respected. They are open to anyone who would like to take time out to reflect, pray or simply be still. Read more here.