THE Penola War Memorial Hospital emergency department is now closed to further safeguard the elderly with low immunity or co-morbities at the co-located Pinchunga Aged Care facility.
Patients presenting to the hospital will still be seen and assessed by nursing staff, but will be transferred to Naracoorte or Mount Gambier District Hospital by the South Australian Ambulance Service or MedSTAR.
All patients presenting to the hospital will be triaged according to their health needs.
Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms should contact their GP to arrange testing and isolate while awaiting results.
Limestone Coast Local Health Network chief executive Ngaire Buchanan said every possible step to ensure the health and safety of patients, aged care and staff was being taken.
“We would like to thank members of our community for their understanding during this time and for adhering to these precautions that will help protect aged care residents,” she said.
Despite the closure of the emergency department, the Penola Medical Clinic will remain open, with operations manager Sophie Angus saying health services would operate with strict precautions.
“This is because there are health concerns within the community other than COVID-19, but we needed to find a way to do it and keep our staff safe,” she said.
“There will be no testing for COVID-19 on site and anyone with symptoms are not to come into the clinic, but to call as we want to support those who are at risk.
“By doing this we are still able to support patients, but are not putting anyone at risk.”
Ms Angus said the clinic was offering phone appointments for all other health matters.
She said scripts are now able to be faxed through to the pharmacy to prevent patients needing to present to the clinic unless necessary.
“Those who do have to come to the clinic are able to wait in their car with the clinic taking on extra safety precautions,” she said.
“Our clinicians are wearing face masks at all times and there is hand sanitiser and hand washing facilities for all patients.”
The waiting room at the clinic has also been set up in line with the social distancing standards – four metres for every person – and screens at reception have been installed.
In regards to the hospital’s emergency department closure, Ms Angus said it would have no effect on the medical clinic’s daily operations.
“The hospital emergency department is run by the State Government and the decision was made at a government level to protect our most vulnerable of the aged care facility,” the operations manager said.
“However it is separate to the doctors clinic which operates in a separate building and we are remaining open to treat the rest of the community.”
SA Health have also implemented a number of new restrictions in line with Federal Government guidelines for residential aged care facilities in Mount Gambier, Millicent, Penola, Naracoorte, Bordertown and Kingston.
The restrictions will allow a maximum of one visitor per patients with all visits limited to 15 minutes.
Visitors are also encouraged to maintain the social distancing standards of 1.5 metres at all times where possible.
Exceptions to the restrictions will be made on a facility by facility basis for exceptional circumstances to ensure residents can still see their loved ones.
Family members who are not able to visit residents are encouraged to make contact via video cam or writing a letter.
