Boonah and Kalbar Medical Centres

Infectious Disease Management Policy

The doctors and staff of Boonah and Kalbar Medical Centres are committed to providing continuous, high-quality healthcare services to our community while ensuring the safety and well-being of our patients, staff, and the broader public. This policy outlines our proactive measures for managing the risks associated with all infectious diseases that may pose a workplace health and safety concern or threaten our operational continuity. Our primary goal is to maintain our ability to deliver essential medical services to our patients, adapting our practices as necessary to meet evolving public health challenges.

We understand that concerns about infectious diseases can cause apprehension. We share this concern and feel a great responsibility to implement effective infection control measures to prevent patient-to-patient and patient-to-staff transmission within our surgeries. To this end, you will find that we have implemented several strategic changes to how we interact with you.

Our Approach to Managing Infectious Diseases:

  1. Declaration of Potentially Infectious Illness: To protect our patients and staff, we respectfully request that all patients declare any potential infectious illness or symptoms (e.g., cough, cold, fever, flu-like symptoms, rash, vomiting, diarrhoea, or known exposure to an infectious disease) at the time of booking their appointment or before entering the surgery. This crucial step allows us to implement appropriate safeguards and guide you on the most suitable consultation pathway.

  2. Streamlined Access and Reduced Foot Traffic: To minimise the risk of transmission within our facilities, we are implementing measures to limit person-to-person contact and reduce overall foot traffic.

    • Limited Waiting Room Occupancy: Our waiting rooms will have limited seating to facilitate physical distancing between individuals. To manage patient flow and maintain safety, you may be requested to wait outside the front door until called for your appointment.
    • "Patient-Only" Admissions: One of our key infection control mechanisms is to limit the number of individuals within our surgeries at any given time. Therefore, only the patient, and if appropriate, one essential carer (e.g., for children, elderly, or those requiring assistance), will be admitted to the waiting room and consultation rooms. We appreciate your understanding in adhering to this policy.

  3. Dedicated Areas for Potentially Infectious Patients: Both our Boonah and Kalbar Medical Centres have designated, covered areas available for patients who are potentially infectious. Depending on your symptoms and the nature of your appointment, you may be directed to these areas upon arrival. A member of our team will guide you on the exact procedure, which may involve waiting in a designated space until a doctor or nurse attends to you. This ensures a safe environment for all patients.

  4. Flexible Consultation Options: We offer a range of consultation options to best meet your needs while prioritising safety:

    • Telephone or Telehealth Consultations: Patients presenting with mild to moderate symptoms of a potentially infectious illness, or those seeking consultation for suitable routine or minor matters, will generally be offered a telephone or telehealth consultation in the first instance. This allows our doctors to assess your condition remotely and determine if a physical consultation is required. If a physical consultation is deemed necessary after this initial assessment, specific arrangements will be made to minimise risk.
    • In-Person Consultations with Precautions: If a physical consultation is essential, it may be somewhat abbreviated, and physical examination will be limited to that required to assess the presenting complaint.
    • Car Park Consultations: For elderly, frail, or disabled patients, or those with significant mobility challenges, we are open to facilitating consultations in your car in the surgery car park if that is your most suitable and safe option.

  5. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Patient Masking:

    • Our doctors and staff may wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), including masks, gowns, and gloves, during consultations, particularly when interacting with patients who are potentially infectious or to maintain a general level of protection.
    • Patients may also be asked to wear masks upon entering the surgery or during their consultation, especially if they are experiencing respiratory symptoms or if mandated by public health guidelines. Your cooperation in this matter is vital for the safety of everyone.

  6. Staff Well-being and Operational Continuity: Our dedicated team comprises doctors, nurses, and reception staff who, themselves, have families and responsibilities. We have a duty to do everything in our power to keep them safe and healthy. It is inevitable that there may be times when staff absences occur due to illness or the need for self-isolation in accordance with public health guidelines. While we strive to maintain full services, significant depletion of our resources due to staff illness may, on rare occasions, require one or both surgeries to temporarily close or operate with reduced capacity. We will always endeavour to provide as much notice as possible and direct patients to alternative care options in such circumstances.

We hope this policy helps you understand the measures we have put in place to manage the challenges posed by infectious diseases. These measures are dynamic and will be reviewed and updated in line with public health advice to ensure our continued ability to function, protect our community, and enable us to provide the essential medical services you rely upon. Your cooperation and understanding are invaluable in helping us achieve these vital goals.