Echuca Moama Family Medical Practice (EMFMP) has continued to conduct COVID-19 tests for their community despite low levels of personal protective equipment (PPE).
EMFMP's Dr Claire Goodman said the face shields have been a welcome addition to the practice’s protective equipment supply.
“The limited access to personal protective equipment has made it challenging to undertake COVID-19 testing throughout the pandemic,” she said.
“These face shields supplied by Murray PHN will provide additional support to enable us to conduct testing in a safe way.”
The visors have been produced through a partnership with universities to help general practitioners and other medical professionals stay safe while taking COVID-19 swabs from people with respiratory illnesses.
Murray PHN chief executive Matt Jones said it was great to be able to support the practice to continue testing in their local community.
“These reusable face shields sourced by Murray PHN have been provided free for general practices in our region,” he said.
“We acknowledge the important role that general practice will need to play, post-testing blitz and in the era of potential cluster infection.”
Murray PHN, which has distributed 30,000 surgical masks to general practice, pharmacy and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, was able to procure a small batch of visors, as the availability of additional PPE remains challenging in many regional areas.
The 250 organisations that Murray PHN has supported with surgical mask supply have said that in recent weeks they have been unable to source PPE from their usual suppliers, with many of those suppliers declining to accept orders at this stage.
The items requested by primary health care in the Murray PHN region, in order of frequency, are:
● Eye protection/face shields
● Long sleeve disposable gowns
● Hand sanitiser/hand wash
● Gloves
● Wipes