Dear Member / clinic owner,
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DHB Liaison Group
We’re forming a DHB liaison group comprising one UC doctor in each DHB. The group will give RNZCUC information on what each DHB is doing about the Covid-19 issues we think are important, including effective separation of cold and flu patients, PPE supplies, protocols for using PPE, how clinics are doing financially, and agreeing on and implementing best practice.
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Mobilising staff to operate ventilators
We’ve been invited to a group that will examine NZ’s capacity to ventilate patients, including ‘mobilising reserves’ - identifying and training staff who might have recent experience with ventilated patients, or who might be able to step up and relieve another doctor who has such experience. Please give some thought to whether you are in this category.
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Working in different facilities
Several members have asked about working in different facilities during a pandemic. Our recommendation is to avoid doing this where reasonably possible. If a healthcare worker is found to have an asymptomatic Covid19 infection, or is in the asymptomatic phase, the number of exposed staff will be less if the doctor has only worked in one facility. This risk must be weighed against overall patient care needs.
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Financial assistance
All clinics seem to be experiencing low consultation numbers and many are reducing hours and staffing; some are requesting financial support. We’ve already asked the Ministry to consider providing support, and they said they were considering this ‘under urgency’.
Today we joined a videoconference with a member of the GP Leaders’ Forum and urgent care clinic owners, and agreed on another approach to the Ministry.
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Note: forum topics can now be viewed without logging in.
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AGM
We didn’t achieve a quorum for the AGM. The Executive Committee (ExC) will set a new date. The current ExC members remain, and membership fees remain at the amount approved by members in 2018 ($1070 GST excl).
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David Gollogly, Jasmine Mackay, Richard Chen
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Pandemic Response Committee
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