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The Australian Government has confirmed that the distribution of PPE, through the Living with COVID measure – via GCPHN, has ceased.
Mask-wearing in hospitals to end and new Infection Prevention and Control Manual
All current Public Health Directions ended as of 6:00pm 30 October 2022, including Public Health Face Mask Requirement Direction (No.6). The formal revocation of this Direction enables Hospital and Health Services and other organisations to make their own decisions about infection prevention and control measures in line with the newly developed COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control Manual for acute and non-acute healthcare settings V1.0.
This replaces the Infection prevention and control guidelines for the management of COVID-19 in healthcare settings document.
The new manual provides infection prevention and control (IPAC) guidance for managing patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 and other acute respiratory illnesses in healthcare settings. It combines recommendations found in the Communicable Diseases Network Australia Series of National Guidelines, Infection Control Expert Group Guidance on the use of personal protective equipment for health care workers in the context of COVID-19, the World Health Organization guideline, and other guidelines and papers (see document full list).
We have been exploring supply options and have been notified that 3M Personal Safety Division in Queensland has engaged Evolution Safety to order 3M 1870+ P2/N95 respirator masks exclusively for practices across South East Queensland. These masks are most commonly used by Queensland Health and have been difficult to access by primary care.
Practices and pharmacies can now purchase the 3M 1870+ P2/N95 respirator masks through an online portal on the Evolution Safety website with a specific code that is detailed in the PHN Client Registration document.
After your registration is processed, Evolution Safety will confirm your organisation is within the Gold Coast PHN region and will manually switch on your visibility/access to this product before you can place your order. More details about the ordering process are included in the PHN 1870+ Ordering Process document.
NOTE: Please note there may be a small delay as their team processes the registrations as they come in across the SEQ region. Please follow the attached ordering instructions and contact Evolution Safety via phone (1300 722 675) or email (sales@evolutionsafety.com.au) if you have any issues. Please ensure you use your business/organisation name when registering, not Evolution Safety’s name (as provided in the example) to streamline the process.
The masks can be purchased in carton lots. Cartons consist of 6 boxes of 20 masks (120 masks in total). The price per carton is $261.06+ GST. Payments can be made through their portal by credit or debit card.
A limit of 4 cartons will apply to manage demand and supply. A $20 freight/delivery cost applies if you order one carton, or the fee is waived if you order 2 – 4 cartons. Deliveries are estimated to the Gold Coast region within 1 – 2 business days from receipt of order.
Allied Health are not eligible for Living with COVID PPE Bundles, however, Emergency Provision is available. This can only be accessed by allied health professionals where there is no local supply available commercially, or from another State or Territory government schemes.
Eligible allied health professionals can access the following Emergency Provision PPE:
As per tranche 5 guidelines, unless you are required to as part of your core business, or the patient’s care cannot be deferred, allied health professionals should not see patients who are at a higher risk of COVID-19. This includes those in quarantine or with respiratory symptoms, regardless of the local epidemiology of COVID-19.
Information for health professionals about fit-testing and fit-checking of P2/N95 masks and the use of PPE equipment, is available to view in a recent GCPHN COVID-19 publication to GP’s.
A guide to fit checking PPE has also been published by the Department of Health.
The following providers service the Gold Coast and are able to provide Fit Testing for P2/N95 Respirators:
Keys Testing Services
Mobile service only
Keys Human Resources Pty Ltd
Ph: 1300 096 617
Email: fittesting@keyshr.com
Website: https://www.fittestingservices.com.au/
Website: www.keyshr.com
SureFit Services Pty Ltd
Mobile service only
Ph: 1300 300 874
Mobile: 0428 800 906
Email: isaac@surefitservices.com.au
Website: www.surefitservices.com.au
Able Distribution
Inhouse and mobile service
Ph: 0756 185 100
Email: sales@abldistribution.com.au
Website: www.abldistribution.com.au
Note: GCPHN does not warrant the quality or suitability of these services and asks that you make your own enquiries to ensure the services meet your needs.
The Australian Government is continuing to support the aged care sector to prepare and protect older Australians against COVID-19 and influenza ahead of winter by deploying bulk winter personal protective equipment (PPE) packs to all residential aged care homes.
Deliveries are expected to commence in late March 2023 starting with remote and rural facilities and be completed by late May 2023, ahead of winter.
From 10 March 2023, the National Medical Stockpile’s logistics provider, DHL, will be contacting each facility via phone call to confirm delivery arrangements. If you do not want this supply of PPE, let DHL know when they contact you and they will not proceed with the delivery.
If you are not contacted by DHL by 30 April 2023, please contact the Department by email at AgedCareCOVIDEnquiries@Health.gov.au. This may occur when they do not have up to date contact details for your facility.
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