Page 2129 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 2 August 2022
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Even better, they should plan with their GP of what they will do if they get COVID, so antivirals can be prescribed quickly and easily if required. Canberra Health Services’ COVID Care@Home program has provided care and support to more than 113,000 patients since August 2021. More than 10,300 of these patients have had direct phone contact and subsequent medical assessment.
Of all patients referred, more than 50,000 have accessed the optional MyChart phone app for home communication and care. Supply of oximeters and thermometers to those deemed moderate to high risk continues, as does antiviral therapy for COVID-19. This is in line with the COVID-19 National Taskforce guidelines.
The recent listing of antiviral medications on the pharmaceutical benefits scheme, by the commonwealth government has allowed community-based prescriptions to be written by GPs and I thank them for assisting our strong response to COVID-19.
Mr Assistant Speaker, the Post COVID Recovery Clinic based at the University of Canberra Hospital in Bruce has received more than 100 referrals since it commenced in March 2022 for people who have had COVID-19 more than 12 weeks ago but have been unable to return to their usual activities.
Initial clients of the clinic will soon be finishing their rehabilitation programs and I look forward to sharing outcomes of the clinic when they are available. I am sure that members will once again join me in offering our sincere appreciation to all the health professionals and staff who have worked exceptionally hard to help the territory achieve our world leading vaccination rates; to care for people with COVID-19; to provide Canberrans with access to testing; and to maintain the operations of the health system, across our hospitals, walk-in centres, community health centres, general practices, pharmacies, and allied health providers.
I know that there has been some criticism of thanking health workers for their work during these times, but it remains very important that we do keep saying thank you. It is important that we acknowledge the strain they have been under for the past three years, since the record flu season in the winter of 2019, and that we thank them for their invaluable service to the Canberra community.
But the ACT government is not just thanking healthcare workers with our words, we are investing in the future of our health workforce and our health services. Both through the budget and with a specific recovery project currently being developed with frontline staff. As I announced last week, the government will fund a multi-year, multimillion-dollar investment in health workforce wellbeing and recovery, which will support our public health workforce with the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic now and into the future.
This program of work will be co-designed with our workforce to ensure that what is delivered will be practical and specific to the individual areas of public health services and will support initiatives that will have a positive ongoing effect on recovery. The design of this investment will be informed by the health and wellbeing symposium, which I had the pleasure of opening yesterday.
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