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Care Opinion

Screening area for visitors at SCGH

Posted By hekazz48

"Screening area for visitors at SCGH"

About: Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital

(as a parent/guardian),

Due to the ongoing covid pandemic I understand there are rigorous restrictions regarding visitor times, and numbers plus screening questions before you can enter SCGH. I wish to commend the staff at the Piazza entrance who work under intense pressure with great professionalism.

My concern is the physical set up. Due to the length of time it takes to screen each visitor people start lining up well in advance of visiting hours, and a very long line quickly forms. Only a very small section, just before the entrance, has a temporary "tent" cover. The majority of waiting visitors are waiting fully exposed to sun and in recent days, rain. 

Last night as it was raining staff had to try and gather people under the eaves of the building as well as in the tent to keep us dry. Unfortunately, the tented area had many significant leaks that meant you could not social distance as you had to avoid those sections. Then when we were shuffled along the edge of the building, under the eaves there was no ability to maintain social distancing due to the very tight space 

I am extremely concerned about the conditions under which people have to wait. It is not possible to social distance, you are exposed to all weather conditions and with the long wait times I believe the risk of catching covid is highest in this line.

I would invite senior management to visit the Piazza entrance at 9.45-10am, and again at 4.45-5pm to see the reality of what is occurring.

Thank you

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Responses

Response from Theresa Marshall, A/Executive Director, Mental Health, Public Health and Dental Services, North Metropolitan Health Service nearly 2 years ago
Theresa Marshall
A/Executive Director, Mental Health, Public Health and Dental Services,
North Metropolitan Health Service

Submitted on 20/05/2022 at 6:47 PM
Published on Care Opinion on 23/05/2022 at 11:14 AM

Dear hekazz48,

Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on how we can improve the process for visitors accessing Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. It is lovely to hear such positive feedback for the staff at the Piazza, as their job can be particularly challenging, especially during visiting hours. I have forwarded your feedback to their manager and I am sure that they will appreciate receiving it.

Please be reassured that as a Health Service we are constantly trying to improve access for our consumers and have established a Visitors Working Group that meets weekly to review any issue that have arisen, work on improving processes and respond to new challenges that restricted visiting has caused our community.

Last Monday, the concerns you have identified in your feedback, had been identified by the team and work has commenced to redress the issues caused by the recent change in weather. I have spoken to the facility’s manager today and can advise that additional tents have already been erected within the quadrant, providing visitors with additional areas to shelter and assist in maintaining social distancing.

Once again my thanks for providing us with your feedback

Kind regards

Theresa Marshall

Executive Director SCGOPHCG

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Update posted by hekazz48 (a parent/guardian)

Hi and thank you for your reply.

I was in the line this evening at 4.50pm and can assure you there was no additional tenting that had been placed at the Piazza entrance. It started to rain and everyone in the line that went out the existing tent into the open either huddled forward, ie no social distancing, to try and get under the tent or stood in the rain and wind.

The staff ended up directing the queue of people to move through the tent and down the side of the hospital building, where you can look in and see everyone getting RATs. While this allowed more people to shelter under the existing tent and eaves of the building, there is no ability to properly socially distance once you get shuffled along the side of the building under the eaves. When there is a severe weather warning like today everyone is trying to crowd under any shelter

There is a single tent that stands alone near the staff entrance that has been there for a while. So unfortunately I don't know where these additional tents that you mention have been placed. They were not at the Piazza entrance as of 5pm today.

Thank you for your help.

Response from Theresa Marshall, A/Executive Director, Mental Health, Public Health and Dental Services, North Metropolitan Health Service nearly 2 years ago
We are preparing to make a change
Theresa Marshall
A/Executive Director, Mental Health, Public Health and Dental Services,
North Metropolitan Health Service

Submitted on 24/05/2022 at 2:54 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 3:13 PM

Dear hekazz48,

My sincere apologies for providing you with inaccurate information regarding additional tents being erected in the Piazza. I have followed up with the Facilities Manager and have been advised that, unfortunately the additional tents which were due to be erected, were not able to be progressed due to the severe weather events that have been occurring over the last week.

The decision not to erect the tents was made because the ones available, were not suitable for the weather conditions and would have been a hazard for patients, visitors and staff. I can advise that we are in the process of accessing tents that can withstand the stormy conditions we are experiencing and that they will be set up as soon as possible.

Once again please accept my apologies for the miscommunication that occurred regarding the erection of the tents and our ability to do so safely when experiencing such stormy conditions. Once I have confirmation that the tents have been erected, I will update you via Care Opinion.

My sincere thanks for taking the time to let me know that the issue had not been resolved and how challenging it is for visitors during these difficult times.

Kind regards

Theresa Marshall

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Update posted by hekazz48 (a parent/guardian)

Hi, and again thank you for your continuing help.

The extra tent was there when I lined up last night. However the line still extended well beyond this into the open area. I hope further shelter can be considered to shield everyone.

When I left at 7pm it was raining, and unfortunately the tents do not seem very waterproof, and there were multiple significant leaks throughout the tented areas, making them, I feel, unusable in wet weather.

Again thank you for your help.

Response from Theresa Marshall, A/Executive Director, Mental Health, Public Health and Dental Services, North Metropolitan Health Service nearly 2 years ago
We have made a change
Theresa Marshall
A/Executive Director, Mental Health, Public Health and Dental Services,
North Metropolitan Health Service

Submitted on 26/05/2022 at 6:34 PM
Published on Care Opinion on 27/05/2022 at 9:10 AM

Hi hekazz48,

Just to provide you with a further update, the Facilities Manager reassessed the Piazza on Tuesday evening and has subsequently added additional tents and made changes to access for patients and visitors. These changes were made to assist with social distancing and to provide additional protection from weather.

Once again my thanks for your feedback

Kind regards

Theresa Marshall

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