Army of nurses on standby as mask vending machine trial starts
More than 1000 nurses have applied to return to SA Health after a call-out for help, as officials follow up their national first drive-through test clinic with a vending machine innovation.
Coronavirus News
Don't miss out on the headlines from Coronavirus News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- 32 new COVID-19 cases in SA, baggage handlers test positive
- What nation’s frontline workers need to wage war on virus
- Adelaide company plans to make $145 million masks
More than 1000 extra nurses are ready and willing to help with the looming surge of coronavirus patients, as the State Government negotiates a plan for public and private hospitals to join forces to bolster frontline staff.
The unprecedented deal will include sharing intensive care beds and staff to expand capacity in the health system, as the number of cases in SA yesterday jumped by 32 to 337.
Under the agreement, the Federal Government would underwrite all 56 of South Australia’s private hospitals, keeping more than 4500 full-time staff, including hundreds of nurses, in work.
“One thing is clear, we must keep our private sector capacity in place not only during this coronavirus, but also out the other side,” Premier Steven Marshall said.
The partnership would allow the public sector to use wards and theatres, essential equipment such as ventilators, and personal protective equipment supplies from all private hospitals.
Nationally, an extra 34,000 hospital beds would be made available from 657 private hospitals, ensuring their viability after they were made to cancel all non-urgent elective surgery from today.
The move would cost the Federal Government $1.3 billion.
SA Health chief nurse and midwife Jenny Hurley said there had been an overwhelming response to a call-out for nurses and midwives working outside the public sector to help in coming weeks.
“We have had more than 1000 nurses and midwives who have lodged their applications and we are just going through them now, they are going to help us in key areas,” she said.
“We are in the fortunate position today that we have 1000 nurses and midwives standing up and saying ‘we want to join you, we want to be part of the response’, so I am very thankful to all of them.”
Ms Hurley stressed there were enough staff to meet current demand.
The army of nurses is in addition to federal support for refresher nurse programs for those who have been out of the system for more than three years and want to return – already more than 1000 have applied in SA.
SA Nursing and Midwifery Federation state secretary Elizabeth Dabars said conceptually, the announcement to partner with the private sector was positive and provided relief for the private hospital workforce.
“We call on the State Government to urgently share their specific plans in order to secure the maximum possible benefit for the SA community,” she said.
Martin Bowles, chief executive of Calvary Health Care which has four private hospitals across Adelaide, said the company looked forward to confirming details with the State Government in coming days.
“Calvary is committed to providing support to the public sector and will continue to serve our communities throughout COVID-19 to ensure every patient has the care they need,” he said.
A spokesman for ACHA Health, which owns a further three private hospitals, said it welcomed the Federal Government guaranteeing the financial viability of the private hospital sector.
“Once finalised, the agreement will see the Federal Government share costs 50/50 with the states and territories and underwrite gaps to assure the ongoing financial viability of the sector,” he said.
The Federal Government is also working to immediately double, and then triple, the number of ICU beds with ventilators.
At the moment there are about 2200 ventilated intensive care beds available across the country.
Australia’s deputy chief medical officer, Nick Coatsworth, said that was being expanded immediately to 4400 with support from the private health sector.
SA Health also announced it would trial a vending machine to dispense medical face masks.
The national-first trial, at the Flinders Medical Centre, will only allow accredited medical staff to use the machine – for free – and will electronically monitor use in real-time to ensure replenishment as needed.
#SouthAustralia is innovating in the fight against the #coronavirus and trialing these PPE vending machines. Hospital staff will be able to activate them with special security passes and the machines will provide us with vital data on PPE usage. pic.twitter.com/qtB5YtbWy7
— Steven Marshall, MP (@marshall_steven) March 31, 2020