Year in Review 2021

VACCINATING WESTERN SYDNEY

Westmead welcomed local celebrity Kyle Sandilands to receive his vaccinations and launch #GetVaxxedBaby #1 FM breakfast radio host Kyle Sandilands received his first COVID-19 vaccination at the Westmead Hospital Vaccination Clinic in June this year as eligible people across Western Sydney and NSW received their vaccination doses. He also rolled up his sleeve again for his 2nd vaccination, with the hope that the publicity would encourage eligible adults to #GetVaxxedBaby.

Above, from left WSLHD Outreach COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic Gallipoli Mosque Auburn. Patient Athar Gohar and Medical Officer Dr Zarza Rashidi at WSLHD Outreach COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic Gallipoli Mosque Auburn. Reg Nurse Shirin Al Rabii and Patient Hacer Korkut at WSLHD Outreach COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic Gallipoli Mosque Auburn.

Western Sydney Local Health District COVID-19 Outreach Vaccination Team provided COVID-19 vaccinations to vulnerable and priority populations across Western Sydney. Amongst many community events, our Outreach teams visited the Auburn Gallipoli Mosque in June 2021, and the Kimberwalli Vaccination Centre opened its doors to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in September 2021. The WSLHD COVID-19 Outreach Vaccination Team returned to the Auburn Gallipoli Mosque in July for recipients in the Turkish-Australian community to get their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, which included refugee groups, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, people with a disability and people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. The Kimberwalli Vaccination Centre ensured priority groups had access to COVID-19 vaccination in culturally appropriate settings and was open to eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people fromWestern Sydney and their families and household members, aged 12 and up. A Yarning space was available to guide people through the consent process and staff who identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander provided information about vaccination.

presentations from staff of Residential Aged Care Facilities who had just experienced an outbreak. Aged Care and Hospital In The Home COVID-19 Programs were rolled out to care for our most vulnerable members of the community. In August 2020, we formed a Residential Aged Care Facility COVID-19 Outbreak Preparedness Taskforce to review and assess the Outbreak Management Plans of all facilities within Western Sydney. This included site visits to 62 Residential Aged Care Facilities across the district to review current outbreak management processes and plans. Formal feedback was given to the facilities to support their outbreak management processes. Integrated & Community Health developed a comprehensive model of care for COVID-19 positive patients in the community in December 2020. Four GP sites were commissioned through the Primary Health Network to support patients in the model. The model allowed for Hospital in the Home care of patients, supported by the Clinical Referral Service who called patients to check in daily. The model allowed for the safe transfer of care of low risk COVID-19 patients into a GP model, alleviating inpatient bed demands on the district.

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