"Feedback on visits to the hospital"

Dear errandtb78,

Thank you for providing feedback on what is a very complex issue for us. This Pandemic has created significant challenges for BCH (and all health services) in keeping the health service, staff and patients safe. Where there is a breach of protocol, experience at other services, and at ours, shows we have been required to furlough a number of staff with no notice because they have been exposed. This puts at risk, our ability to provide our service. Just to give an example, when the Phillip Island exposures occurred, we lost in a day, over 100 staff which meant that those staff not impacted, did not get days off, worked significant overtime, etc, just to keep our services running.

Aside from the high risk /potential tragedy of exposing our patients, exposing our staff is also an extreme risk.

One of the most important safety measures we can institute, is to make sure that all people coming into the hospital, are thoroughly screened, using the comprehensive DH QR Code/Screening that our staff use. We need to make sure that people actually look at the exposure sites and not just say they have. We need to make sure all visitors wear a mask, no matter what. We also need to make sure visitors pass by our thermal cameras to make sure they have their temperature checked.

I have personally spent many hours at the front door myself, as have other senior staff, because our biggest problem is that visitors come in and object to following our safety rules. Of even greater concern, our staff, our volunteers, and our security staff have been subjected to terrible and frequent verbal and physical violence from visitors who think they are exempt from the rules. I have also been the subject of similar abuse and I can tell you that you need to be thick-skinned to put up with this abuse every day.

I am sure you didn't abuse anyone, but I can tell you that our security people, our door staff, and senior people like me are completely over this abuse and aggression. I am not sure what right people think they have to make my team feel so vulnerable when they are all doing the best they can in a very trying time.

I have instructed the security staff to be very rigid about maintaining our safety by thoroughly screening visitors. I have instructed them - No QR - no Entry. No Mask - No Entry. Violence towards our staff, including security - No Entry.

I will also tell you that when people do the right thing (and most do), they find the security team helpful and they are comforted by the fact that we are doing everything we can to keep everyone safe.

I would be happy for you to call me to chat through your individual circumstances so we can work out why you got the responses you did, and I can be contacted on 0472846355. I also hope people will be empathic about the enormous responsibility and pressure felt by our front door staff, to make sure BCH can remain safe.

Stay safe and kind regards, Jan.

Dear errandtb78,

I am so sorry - I absolutely meant no offence. As I said in my first response, I was wanting to make sure that our complex current work environment was understood, and I was also very clear to say that I am sure you didn't abuse anyone.

As previously outlined, I would be very happy for you to call me to chat through your individual circumstances so that I can work out why you got the responses you did. I am able to be contacted on 0472 846 355.

With Kindness,

Jan