A consortium of community health organisations led by IPC Health has started deploying COVID-19 Rapid Response Testing (RRTs) teams across the metropolitan area in an effort to prevent further virus outbreaks.
Community health organisations involved in the project include DPV Health, EACH, Star Health and cohealth.
The RRT teams will operate seven days a week at testing sites of varying sizes, in locations such as residential services, corrections facilities, meat processing organisations, schools and various essential service workplaces.
Each RRT will include a nurse; an on-site or supporting GP; two testing support staff; a wellbeing co-ordinator to assist vulnerable people who test positive for the virus; and cultural specialists including those from multicultural communities, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and the deaf community.
IPC Health chief executive Jayne Nelson said that community health and local responders were “very much at the front line of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic”.
“Community health intervention is a far gentler way to give people what they need, without further trauma and lockdowns,” Ms Nelson said.
“Rapid Response Testing teams are delivering urgent testing, medical care and education to the community at large, easing the burden on hospitals and emergency departments.”
