All staff working in Western Australia's public healthcare system will be supported by a new COVID-19 screening and testing pathway from today, with the opening of a dedicated staff call centre.
WA Health staff experiencing COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms, or those who suspect they may have been exposed to COVID-19, will be asked to call a dedicated freecall number where they will be screened against a set clinical criteria.
The call centre is staffed by trained nursing and clerical staff who will screen callers, and then refer them into one of the three COVID clinics located at Royal Perth Hospital, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Fiona Stanley Hospital for testing or the newly opened Bunbury COVID clinic in the South-West.
Staff members working within other regional areas will be able to access COVID testing through their local hospitals and health service.
The dedicated freecall WA Health call centre number will only be promoted internally to WA Health staff to help ensure that only WA Health staff members can access it - ensuring limited resources are appropriately allocated.
The new call centre has been developed to help ensure vital frontline staff have access to up-to-date information about COVID-19, and are screened and tested appropriately.
Like all members of the community, WA Health staff have been advised to stay at home if they are unwell and if they are concerned that they may have been exposed to the virus, to first self-quarantine and then seek medical attention.
General members of the public can telephone the COVID-19 Health Information Line on 1800 020 080 for advice and find more information, including specific clinic locations, by visiting http://www.healthywa.wa.gov.au
As stated by Health Minister Roger Cook:
"It is important that any WA Health staff experiencing COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms call the staff only, dedicated call centre in the first instance.
"It is paramount that we have as many frontline staff fit and healthy as possible and they are not inadvertent transmitters of the virus - given their line of work, they are particularly vulnerable.
"Staff across the WA public health system have been working tirelessly to date to help plan and prepare for coronavirus, and on behalf of all Western Australians, I thank them for their hard work, often long hours and dedication."
