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Scenario-Based Collaboration: Identifying the Role of the NSW Biocontainment Centre in the Response to High Consequence Infectious Diseases

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 July 2023

Kavita Varshney
Affiliation:
Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
Caren Friend
Affiliation:
Charles Sturt University, Bathhurst, Australia
Patricia Ferguson
Affiliation:
Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia NSW Biocontainment Unit, Sydney, Australia
Mary Wyer
Affiliation:
Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia NSW Biocontainment Unit,Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia
Shopna Bag
Affiliation:
University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia Centre for Population Health, Sydney, Australia
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Abstract

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Introduction:

The New South Wales (NSW) Biocontainment Centre (NBC) is the first high-level isolation unit in Australia. This state-wide referral facility, located at Westmead Hospital, Sydney, will provide care for patients with high-consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs), including viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHF). In preparation, a tabletop exercise with key stakeholders was held to introduce and socialize the NBC’s capacity to support NSW’s preparedness for the management of a patient with HCID.

Method:

Invitations were provided to key stakeholders within Westmead Hospital (facility executive, emergency and ICU services, security, switchboard); NSW Preparedness and Response Branch; retrieval services; peripheral hospitals; pediatric hospital network; and NSW Public health units (state and district).

The scenario presented was an unwell patient with suspected VHF arriving at a peripheral hospital emergency department.

Discussion during the four-hour long exercise was facilitated with directed questions and injects, and was recorded. Recommendations and key learnings from the exercise and debrief provided opportunities to enhance current response assumptions.

Results:

Forty-five people participated both face-to-face and virtually. Participant discussion showed increasing appreciation of patient presentations to any part of the NSW health system and available assistance. Recommendations included: enhanced access to NBC support with a direct “1-800 number”, coordination for communication, treatment, and transport, and if required, deployment of an NBC team to peripheral sites. Areas for future collaborative work were identified.

Conclusion:

This exercise successfully achieved collaboration of key stakeholders to develop an updated, comprehensive and robust plan for management of HCID patients within NSW, regardless of their presentation site. It has created an opportunity to brainstorm and optimize how the NBC can interact with other agencies to maximize the NSW HCID response.

Type
Lightning and Oral Presentations
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine