Geraldton Health Campus worker ‘scared’ by COVID-19 protocol breach

A Geraldton Health Campus worker has admitted to feeling “scared” and disappointed by the way a COVID-positive patient was managed at the Mid West hospital last week. Geraldton was placed on high alert after a crew member was taken off the bulk carrier MV Emerald Indah with COVID-19 symptoms and kept in the hospital’s emergency department for three hours on July 4. He was eventually taken to a negative pressure room, with WA Country Health Service principal health officer Helen Van Gessel on Wednesday later conceding he had been in the ED for “too long”. A staff member without personal protective equipment later entered a lift that had been used by the patient before it was cleaned. Speaking anonymously, one staff member said they felt they had been left in the dark during a situation which made them “anxious” and “nervous”. “I felt let down by no-one protecting us, I don’t understand what went so horribly wrong,” they said. “(There was) no communication, we found out later by reading Facebook it was the Delta strain.” The United Workers Union has received similar complaints from staff at the Geraldton hospital, with public sector coordinator Kevin Sneddon saying a “lack of clear communication” was the most common concern. But WACHS Midwest regional director Karen Street said any member of staff directly involved in the COVID patient’s care was consulted ahead of time. “As well as this, and in line with our commitment to transparency, communication was sent to the entire WA Country Health Service workforce on Monday where they were advised of the situation. As new information came to light, further updates were sent,” she said. “Localised communication from management also occurred with the patient services coordinator, operations manager, human resources manager and others undertaking stand-up meetings with teams. “We continue to host debrief workshops with staff at the hospital and any feedback is followed up in line with our commitment to continuous improvement.” Mr Sneddon said the union had also heard from hospital staff concerned about the way the COVID patient was transported through the hospital. “Anecdotally we have been told that while the seafarer was transported in and out of the hospital, areas were not properly cleared as workers and visitors went about business as usual and that there was a lack of proper security to prevent people entering areas where the COVID-positive case had been,” he said. He said the management of the incident pointed to “a much larger problem” in the WA health system. “Unfortunately, from what the union has seen, WA Country Health-run hospitals and facilities seem to have more problems than their metro counterparts and the workers we represent such as enrolled nurses, patient care assistants and hospital cleaners are feeling the brunt of short staffing, insecure work and low wages,” he said. Ms Street said every touch point the COVID patient had while in the hospital was “appropriately cleaned” in line with infection prevention and control measures. “We appreciate that the pandemic has been a stressful time for all healthcare workers. They’re at the forefront of COVID management and we’re committed to maintaining their health and wellbeing,” she said. As of yesterday, all 55 casual contacts linked to the seafarer’s case have received a negative COVID-19 test result.