STAFF at the Penola Doctors Clinic answered the urgent call from SA Pathology last week when COVID-19 testing reached new heights at the Mount Gambier clinic with new border restrictions triggering a sudden surge in tests.
Over 300 tests were conducted at the station last Wednesday with new restrictions requiring cross-border community members and essential travellers to be tested every seven days.
SA Pathology called for more Limestone Coast healthcare workers to help with the increased demand, a call Penola Doctors clinic receptionist Leigh Armstrong proudly answered.
Ms Armstrong organised for co-workers to cover her shift at the busy Penola clinic as she travelled to the Mount Gambier COVID-19 testing station and spent several hours collecting client information in an effort to speed up the process.
“It was really a large team effort because if the staff at the clinic were not able to cover my shift I would not have been able to go down,” Ms Armstrong said.
“I wore all the personal protective gear and went down the large line of cars and organised the forms.
“This included the information, names, addresses and if they were an essential traveller getting their test and if they were, I also recorded their exemption number.”
Answering the call to do her part in reducing wait times at the health site, Ms Armstrong said it was different work to her regular duties.
“Here at the clinic I am the receptionist, but I have a long background in healthcare including nursing,” she said.
“I went down because they needed help, I was available and it was something different which was nice.”
Speaking on her experience on the front line, Ms Armstrong said the sheer quantity of people seeking the virus test was overwhelming.
“We did a large number of tests and the last person I organised before they shut down the station went through at around 6pm when it was getting dark,” she said.
“It would not have been very safe for me to be on the road gathering information in the dark so we closed the clinic for the day.”
Despite the lengthy wait the dedicated healthcare worker said clients were patient, understanding and respectful towards staff at the testing station.
“Although many were waiting for around three hours everyone was patient and nobody was upset,” she said.
“It really showed how we are pulling together as a community and there were some who were telling us we were doing a fantastic job.
“I thought they were marvelous for lining up for so long to come in to get their test and it just shows we are all doing our part.”
She said most clients queued were essential travellers and congratulated them on doing the right thing.
“If they needed me again I would go back in a heartbeat because we are all in this fight together,” she said.
Penola Doctors Clinic business and risk management consultant Sophie Angus congratulated Ms Armstrong and the clinic team at the clinic on the prompt response to the call.
“I am personally so grateful to the brave health workers like Ms Armstrong who are willing to head straight to the front line to help keep us all safe,” Ms Angus said.
“I am so proud of the team at (the clinic), those who have stepped up to take on extra work at the clinic while our other team members answer the call from SA
Pathology on the front line and for the skilled team members who show up everyday throughout the pandemic to care for our community’s other health concerns.”
A second lane was opened at the Mount Gambier testing station this week in an attempt to reduce waiting times for clients and lessen the pressure on SA Pathology staff.
SA Health is currently exploring a suitable site for a second testing station in the Blue Lake city.
