The Alfred COVID-19 Screening Clinic closure

The screening clinic has been operating for over two years, opening as a temporary clinic outside Alf’s Café on 12 March 2020 in response to an increase in COVID-19 presentations in the Emergency Department.

When case presentations continued, the clinic was relocated to the helipad car park on 9 April where it was established as a fixed site. Since opening in March 2020, our clinic has been open every day to help protect our staff, patients and community from COVID-19.

The team has consistently responded to the changing needs of the community, including extending their operating hours to meet demand and opening pop-up clinics to respond to local outbreaks.

Rio Tamayao, Acting Nursing Manager – COVID Public Screening/Staff Surveillance and RAT Clinic, said the team always rose to the challenge.

“One day we would have a normal number of patients and then suddenly there would be a huge increase,” said Rio. “At short notice we would need to source additional staff and extend hours to accommodate, and the team fulfilled our requests. We lived up to the challenges.”

The screening clinic has been supported by 80 Alfred Health staff and 50 bank and agency staff. This includes the clinical team of registered nurses, RUSONs, allied health professionals and ward clerks, as well as security, cleaners and ward support staff.

And the program was incredibly successful, achieving zero community outbreaks or staff transmission within the clinic.

Key statistics:

• Total patients tested: 223,373
• Busiest day: 5 January 2022, screening 818 patients
• Total positive: 8679