Chief Executive Update: 8 March 2022

Chief Executive Update – 8 March 2022

As of today, we have: 

• 29 COVID-19 positive inpatients
• 71 employees with COVID-19 
• 57 employees in precautionary quarantine
• 67 employees who are primary close contacts and working under public health exemption

In this update, we cover: 

• International Women’s Day
• Eye protection is no longer required in non-COVID and non-SCOVID areas
• Taking a break
• Quick COVID-19 reminders
• Medication Safety Week
• Accreditation
• Mandatory vaccination third dose deadlines
• SEPHU delivers over 1.4m vaccine doses
• STAR Awards winners
• The Provision of Palliative Care for Aged Care Residents during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National Survey of Health Professionals 

International Women’s Day

Today is International Women’s Day (IWD), an important opportunity to celebrate women’s achievement, raise awareness against bias and act for equality.

The worldwide theme of IWD 2022 is #BreakTheBias – a theme that invites us to imagine a gender-equal world, free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive where difference is valued and celebrated.

Tomorrow, I encourage you to attend a special International Women’s Day Employee Forum, where we will be joined by colleagues from across our service to discuss the importance of inclusive work cultures that are free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination.

Eye protection is no longer required in non-COVID and non-SCOVID areas

Our PPE Expert Advisory Committee has determined that, given current risk factors, eye protection is no longer required for team members working in non-COVID and non-SCOVID areas.

Monash Health’s PPE Compulsory Standards have been refreshed and simplified accordingly. These standards outline the level of PPE required in different working situations.

This change follows last week’s advice that masks are now only required when you are in a public area or in patient-facing work. In practical terms, that means:

• If you are in an office area with only Monash Health employees, you do not need to wear a mask.
• If you leave the office area and go into a public area (to get a coffee or go to a ward, for example) you need to wear a surgical mask.
• For patient-facing work, an N95 is required at a minimum.

Taking a break

The pandemic response, and particularly the recent state-wide Code Brown, has asked a lot of healthcare workers. Taking some time out to rest, recoup or pursue the things you love is important.

If you haven’t had a break for a while, I encourage you to talk to your manager and make plans to take some leave.  Managers will work with their teams to enable people to take leave, while ensuring we can continue to provide safe and high-quality care to our community.

Thank you, as always, for the work that you do.

Andrew Stripp
Chief Executive

Key Messages

Quick COVID-19 reminders

• COVID-19 testing method and frequency for different patient and employee groups.
• Principles and isolation requirements for our employees and patients.
• Employees no longer need to complete an attestation before starting work on-site and can once again enter and leave through employee entrances (swipe-card access).
• Working remotely will continue to be an option, alongside regular attendance on-site for team and individual meetings, among other requirements. Discuss with your manager and refer to our Working Remotely Procedure on PROMPT for details.

Medication Safety Week

This week is Medication Safety Week, an opportunity to promote the safe use, education and awareness of medicines to reduce the risk of medication errors and improve the delivery of care for our patients.  At Monash Health, our motto for medication safety is ‘every medicine, every time’. To promote the importance of medication safety there are several activities happening this week for you to get involved in. Read more.

Accreditation

Our accreditation assessment has been rescheduled for 15 – 19 August 2022.

While we know that accreditation is an opportunity for us to showcase the fantastic work we do for our patients, consumers and each other, each and every day, a great deal of planning goes into preparing for the survey so we can indeed shine.

Over the coming months, we will support you with regular updates on maintaining best practices in your day-to-day work, to ensure you feel confident when you meet with the assessors in August.

Mandatory vaccination third dose deadlines

As part of our fight against COVID-19, all healthcare workers are required to receive their third (booster) dose of the COVID-19 vaccination.

If you received your second COVID-19 vaccination on or after 13 September 2021, you have until 29 March (or 90 days after your second dose, if later) to receive your third (booster) dose.

Please arrange to get your booster as soon as possible and provide evidence of your vaccination to covidadministration@monashhealth.org.

Visit the COVID-19 vaccination hub to read more, including what to do if you have recently contracted COVID-19.

SEPHU delivers over 1.4m vaccine doses

Over the past year, Monash Health’s South East Public Health Unit (SEPHU) has delivered more than
1.4 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to the community, with Monash Health clinics delivering 930,000 of those doses. Read more.

STAR Award winners

Last week, we awarded Jodie Kramer, Senior Social Worker at Monash Medical Centre, a STAR Award for Outstanding Care or Service Delivery.

In a recent case, Jodie demonstrated her exceptional social work skills, patient-centred care and her ability to navigate complex systems to ensure our patients and their families get the best care possible.

Read more about Jodie’s story here, and join our Employee Forum today, where we will present the next STAR award for Exceptional Teamwork.

The Provision of Palliative Care for Aged Care Residents during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National Survey of Health Professionals

You are invited to participate in The Provision of Palliative Care for Aged Care Residents during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National Survey of Health Professionals.

This survey aims to better understand Australian health care providers’ experiences and attitudes in the provision of a palliative approach in caring for Residential Aged Care Facility residents with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infections, or living in facilities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more