An interstate medical team will soon arrive in Burnie to get the North West Regional Hospital's emergency department up and running again.
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It is believed part of the 35-strong contingent from the Australian Defence Force may arrive as early as Tuesday.
Health Minister Sarah Courtney said the closure of the two Burnie hospitals, and as many as 1200 staff in quarantine for 14 days, meant help from the commonwealth was needed.
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"We're looking to have up to 35 clinical and clinical staffing and logistics from the ADF," Ms Courtney said on Monday.
"We are also looking at a number of Australian Medical Assistance Team leadership and clinical coordination personnel.
"We're looking for deployment of those within 72 hours to ensure we can have those services up and running."
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation secretary Emily Shepherd welcomed the interstate medical staff.
"It is the only sensible and realistic option," Ms Shepherd said.
"The Launceston General Hospital was under strain from bed block before this pandemic so it would be unwise to rely on them."
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Ms Shepherd said the union had been inundated with calls from nurses who were unsure what was happening and had to rely on media for updates.
"Some in isolation are also waiting for three hours on the phone to the public health hotline to get answers to their questions about how to get groceries or meals," she said.
"Some of them also feel they are being blamed for the outbreak when they have been on the front line doing their best."
Ms Courtney said cleaning of the NWRH emergency department was a priority.
"That will be thoroughly cleaned and then that will be re staffed with the ADF to ensure those services can happen," she said.
"We will then make sure that the rest of the sites, particularly prioritizing the maternity site at the North West Private Hospital, because we know the high importance of those services to that community.
"With regards to the rest of the two hospitals, those will then be cleaned thoroughly and returning of clinical services will be as we have staff being able to return."
About 23 patients have been decanted from the NWRH and the private hospital to the Mersey Community Hospital and to Launceston and Hobart.
Ms Courtney said it required "a lot of experts on the ground" to ensure that the well being of patients being transferred.
"We're also taking stringent measures with regards to infection control during the transportation of these patients to ensure that staff are kept safe with regards to the emergency department," she said.
"There may be some cases where a patient needs to go to perhaps the Royal Hobart or Launceston General, that will only be because their clinical care requires a higher level of hospital to care for them.
"So if that happens, we'll ensure that the appropriate infection control is around both that transfer and the care of that patient. We know that we have cared for COVID positive patients at both the LGH and the Royal Hobart hospital over the preceding weeks."
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