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FLOREAT MEDICAL, consistent with the Australian Department of Health policy, urges anyone with ‘cold’ symptoms to have a COVID-19 test as soon as possible. This is regardless of severity of illness, travel history or considered likelihood of COVID infection.It is easy to have a test.Option 1: Go directly to a public COVID-19 clinic to get tested on the spot – no referral required.Option 2: Give us a call on 93876000 and we can arrange over the phone a referral for testing at a private lab.You do not need to wait until you are told by a doctor to get a test.Once you have your test, self-isolate until your results are available (which is usually within 24hrs).We have been extremely lucky in WA. No community spread for 9 months. Borders are closed. Life is more normal here than pretty much anywhere else in the world. So why bother testing when it’s just a cold? In recent months, we have seen how easily hotel quarantine can be breached. In Qld, SA, NSW and Victoria, there have been infection leaks into the community resulting in state-wide lockdowns.It can happen just as easily in WA and is perhaps more likely, now that the burden of cases in hotel quarantine is increasing as the pandemic rages overseas, and the more infectious strain of the virus enters our State. The general lack of social distancing in our community and our normal way of life could mean that if virus arrives and escapes hotel quarantine, it will spread rapidly in our community.During a pandemic, it is important to keep testing even when it is extremely unlikely that your test will come up positive. This differs from the usual medical model of testing based on probability. Our aim is not to diagnose your cold, it is to detect community COVID-19 spread as early as possible. This allows our Health Department to stamp it out and prevent a prolonged WA lockdown or worse, a UK/US style outbreak in our own State.Our commitment to you:The doctors at Floreat Medical will remain proactive in referring patients for testing and are available for phone consults to answer your queries.Our vigilance reflects our commitment to your safety and keeping our doors open for your ongoing medical care.We thank for your understanding and cooperation with our infection control measures and for your prompt action in getting tested when needed.
Floreat Medical, like many, has adapted in order to deal with the challenge of the corona virus pandemic in 2020 and continues to deliver our usual patient and family friendly, high quality, primary health care. We have embraced the issues of quarantine, Covid-19 testing, social distancing, and heightened infection control and telehealth consultations as part of our new way of offering service and care.Phone consultations between patient and doctor enabled Floreat Medical to stay open and continue to deliver the health care service our patients require. Patient triage, where we could assess any COVID or other risk by asking questions on the phone, allowed doctors to determine when it was safe for a patient to attend the practice for examination when needed. This underpinned our ability to keep all patients safe from infection in the waiting room, as well as keeping our staff and doctors safe. The heightened hygiene routines and social distancing, as well as our closed borders in Western Australia, has reduced the incidence of viral illness and we have seen the lowest incidence of influenza in 2020 in the State.We have made a number of physical changes at the practice this year. A large white board has almost become a standing fixture at the back door.This is regularly updated so that we reflect the latest Department of Health advice for screening patients for Covid-19 symptoms. We even had large red cones and bunting around the front reception desk, to remind patients to stand back from the counter when speaking with receptionists. These cones have now been replaced with an “X” taped on the floor in front of newly fitted glass paneling which provides a permanent, yet unobtrusive, cough guard for our staff. A hygiene station is set up in the corridor inside the back door to provide patients with hand gel and tissues and a reminder to use cough etiquette to stop the spread of germs. Our doctors switched to wearing scrubs, for ease of cleaning, and in addition, they provide a visual reminder to patients that we are taking all precautions. We acknowledge that WA has been well managed and fortunate compared to other States, however, Floreat Medical has put in place permanent processes and protocols that will continue to protect patients. We realize that the COVID virus has become an ongoing part of life.Our receptionists have tirelessly screened every appointment by telephoning patients – which we are sure more than a few of you have experienced! Thank you to all of you for your patience in answering the screening questions and complying with our protocols for telephone assessment prior to face-to-face appointments where necessary. Our nurses have provided backup with triaging patients and endless cleaning, and overall it has been a terrific team effort from all members of the clinical and administration team at Floreat Medical.Our resolve is to do our best to look after our community and provide our patients with safe access to the care they need. Diagnosis, management and prevention of illness and disease must continue even in these difficult times.We often reflect how lucky we are to be in Floreat WA, and to have a great Floreat Medical team, which promotes a positive, helpful environment to deliver our best level of service to our patients.Christmas tidings and good wishes for 2021 from all of us at Floreat Medical.