The Tasmanian State Department of Public Health has published an urgent notification tonight ( 13th January 2022 ) to general practices advising that all patients are to be considered COVID postive and therefore if seen face to face in the practices , appropriate PPE ( personal protective equipment ) must be worn by all staff and patients.

From tomorrow , Friday 14th January 2022, Don Medical Clinic will be:

• Providing video consultations to all patients as a first choice
• Telephone calls will be available if a video consultation is not possible but will limited to 10 minutes
• It will be at the discretion of the doctor whether a face to face appointment is required

Medicare rebates are limited for these services so these appointments may attract a fee and with. an out of pocket expense but like always Don Medical Clinic will try to keep this to a minimum.

All face to face consultations will require:

• patients park at the back of the practice, remain in their car and call the reception staff to notify them that they have arrived
• the doctor will then meet the patient at the back door
• to doctor maybe wearing full PPE - face mask, glasses, shield, apron and gloves
• the patient is to wear a face mask and to attend on their own unless they are a child requiring a parent / carer to attend or other such special circumstance that has been discussed with reception prior
• the patient will be seen in room 6 and consultations are to be kept to a minimum to reduce risk of exposure

Where possible

• chronic disease management will continue using video consultations
• Health assessments that are ordinarily face to face will be limited and at the doctors discretion , pending COVID risk .

How to get a Rapid Antigen Test ?

• can be purchased at pharmacies and supermarkets
• Tas Dept of Health also has these available
  • RAT kits are available at no cost for anyone who:
    • has cold and flu-like symptoms
    • has been identified as a close contact of a COVID-19 confirmed case
    • has been directed by Public Health to use a RAT.

If eligible you can register for a RAT kit via the online registration form. A SMS (text) will be sent confirming where you can collect. This message will need to be displayed on arrival inorder to collect the RAT kit.

If you are found to contract a COVID infection whether vaccinated or not please notify the practice team. There is treatment available for patients that will reduce the intensity of a COVID infection but this must be intiated within 7 days of the infection. You will need to speak to a doctor to assess your eligibility for this . CONTACT DON MEDICAL

If you are offered the COVID@homeprogram then we highly recommend you consider this --> COVID@HOMEPROGRAM

If you have a positive RAT ( rapid antigen test ) then please ensure to notify :

• Depeartment of Public Health
• Don Medical Clinic

( please not the Department of Public Health will not be notifying general practice of these results so you must notify the practice yourself )

It does appear that those patients who have been vaccinated have a milder COVID illness. So if you

• have not been vaccinated, or
• have an incomplete vaccination or
• are due for follow up doses or boosters

It is highly recommended that you get these done promptly --> COVID VACCINATION

This is a very stressful time for primary care and we appreciate your support in helping us navigate this where our practice team remains safe, patients remain safe and have their needs met and the practice is able to stay open.

I request all patients treat the reception team with respect and gratitude as they remain the gate keepers to the practice and help the clinicians do their job to keep you all well .

Please note: Notifications of inappropriate / unacceptable / unsafe behaviour by patients will be made by staff and forwarded to the management team where termination of practice registrations for those patients will be considered and made immediately if deemed appropriate.

The Don Medical Team