Plans for managing during the Omicron outbreak at the 24 Hour Surgery in Christchurch

24 Hour Surgery are well underway with our plans for managing during the Omicron outbreak at the 24 Hour Surgery.

We are manging patient flow to ensure staff and patient safety and have a set up being installed in the car park where patients will have their initial check in and triage. Only the most unwell patients will come inside the building into a clinical space, until they are ready to be seen. There will also be increasing ability to see patients in the car park, and we are putting in place a system in which patients can be triaged to a virtual appointment or even sent home from triage with appropriate self care advice. We have adequate supply of PPE and are protecting our team by having anyone on the clinical floor (including the outside areas) wearing N95 and eye protection for all patients.

With Omicron, the routine care of Covid patients in the weekend is a moving beast, and it is likely no surprise to you that the expected numbers will exceed our capacity.

For those practices for which the 24-Hour Surgery is their after hours provider, we are putting in place plans to assist with the monitoring of those patients at high risk (Covid Care Level 2) and these plans will be updated as the situation progresses. This is an interim process for the next 3 weeks. Future plans will include how we will triage the highest risk patients, and may include the use of BCMS as that becomes used more.

Process for referral to the 24 Hour Surgery for Routine Covid Follow up (Patient Care Level 2 and practice is unable to arrange follow up on the weekend themselves):

1. GP to please call the Medical Shift Leader.

2. Medical Shift leader will need the following details : age, day of diagnosis/symptoms, co-morbidities, current symptoms, social situation, medication, management so far, what days are calls required, when will we hand back over care etc.

3. The Medical Shift Leader will place the patient in an appointment for a Virtual Consult on the day/s this will be required

4. GP to please follow up the call with an ERMS : General Practice > Acute General Practice, select 24 Hour Surgery as provider

5. 24HS will ensure that the care is delegated to specific staff members each day

6. The 24HS notes will be transmitted as normal and also be on Encounter Notes in Health One.