RAY MESSOM Chief Executive Officer, Wentwest
COVID-19 in Western Sydney Did the health care system rise to meet the challenge?
The COVID-19 pandemic has been the most
• the strength of our partnerships with
significant health event of the century. The threat
communities which enabled rapid infrastructure
and presence of COVID-19 have both disrupted and
deployments to create safe and well-resourced
radically transformed the sector in a way that we
spaces for assessment, testing and treatment
have never seen before.
of COVID-19 positive patients.
Known as one of the fastest-growing and
All of these outcomes were driven through
culturally diverse populations in Australia, Western
effective and efficient collaborations across
Sydney is home to a million people, presenting
Western Sydney, from local, state and federal
an immediate need for specific and culturally
government bodies to general practices, NGOs,
appropriate resources to reduce the spread of
private companies and other partners.
the virus, while easing pressure on our health care system. Now that the dust has settled from the initial
We saw clear and effective outcomes by focusing in these areas. Telehealth, an existing service in rural areas, was expanded to allow doctors, nurses
onslaught, we can see the emergence of key
and mental health professionals in metropolitan
themes that played a critical role in making this
areas to deliver services over the phone or via
a reality:
video-call under bulk-bulling arrangements,
• leveraging the integration of existing services
reducing the need for patients to physically attend
and collaboration across the health system;
General Practice and hospital waiting rooms across
• expanding digital connectivity to broaden our communications reach and enable clinical shared care between hospital and primary care; and 30
The Health Advocate • AUGUST 2020
the region. HealthPathways responded with a COVID-19 resource package including numerous pathways,