COVID-19 tamed in regional and rural areas thanks to strong relationships between hospitals

Like many others, hospitals such as Castlemaine, Maryborough and Echuca prepared for a huge surge in potential COVID-19 cases when the state of emergency was declared in Victoria.

But the ongoing support and relationship with Bendigo Health means doctors, nurses and other staff at smaller hospitals are able to work on the same platform as larger organisations.

Bendigo Health chief executive Peter Faulkner said the Loddon Mallee region features 18 public health services between Gisborne, Mildura and Kyabram.

"Across those 18 public health services, all the CEOs and board chairs have been working collaboratively for some time before the pandemic context emerged," he said. "When the state of emergency and pandemic (were declared), we already had a good structure to work and co-ordinate efforts on.

"I have always had the view that Bendigo Health, is a regional hospital, not just Bendigo's hospital. On any given day patients from Swan Hill, Echuca, Mildura, Kyneton, Castlemaine and other (areas) are treated in (Bendigo)."

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Mr Faulkner said Bendigo Health was designed to manage epidemics when it was built.

"As a community and region we are so fortunate that the new hospital is structured in way that we have capacity other places don't have - in terms of physical bed numbers," he said.

"That is why the state government is able to support us with additional 45 beds. So we have that physical capacity, but also we have a lot of infrastructure design to manage an epidemic of this nature. There are areas that are negative pressured and suck clean air in and blow dirty air out through filters. It is deliberately designed to support infectious disease management."

Mr Faulkner said the Loddon Mallee's swift reaction to the pandemic had made a great difference.

"From my point of view, and hope others would say the same, it was made so much easier (because) as a region we responded in really timely way," he said.

"In other regions it has been a bit slower because they did not had pre-existing arrangements and structures in place."

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Support and strong relationships during a pandemic that features restrictions on gatherings and social distancing means Bendigo Health has provided weekly video conferences and daily bulletins have been issued to health service staff.

Maryborough District Health Service chief executive Terry Welch said working with Bendigo Health has enabled easier and more mature decision making for the Central Goldfields organisation.

"The fact we have been able to work so collaboratively with the Loddon Mallee region and Bendigo Health has enabled us to have safe health services operation in line with state and federal guidelines," Mr Welch said.

"We have been able to apply operational decisions consistently and the end result has been a terrific response to date with safe services."

So far the Central Goldfields has had one positive test for coronavirus through the hospital's fever clinic, which is set up in the organisation's wellness centre.

"We proactively tested early in a similar timeframe to Bendigo," Mr Welch said. "We went into highly restricted access, our visiting hours were heavily reduced (and had) screening at doors and single points of entry to control people flow."

Echuca Regional Health CEO Nick Bush said there had always been strong relationships between regional hospitals.

"It is even stronger though this environment," he said. "The united approach has seen results that (are) some of best in world in Victoria. But we need to stick at it and plot course right through."

Mr Bush said his staff had been provided training from Bendigo Health specialists as well as liaising about the best treatment for patients.

"We have been working through what patients we would keep and who would go to Bendigo, what complexity would be sent on," he said. "Anyone that can be safely treated in Echuca will be. We have had three people test positive. All were international travellers and all are well.

"We have a screening clinic where people come to the hospital. Over 300 people have come through clinic we have been running for more than three weeks. If (high) numbers had of grabbed hold, we would have been going from testing 20 to 30 people a day to almost double that."

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Castlemaine Health has been providing support to the three GP practices who have set up coronavirus testing in the town.

Mount Alexander Shire has seen six positive COVID-19 cases. Chief executive Ian Fisher said the hospital had the potential to set up a clinic but there was no demand for it.

"We could convert an old house we have got to a clinic but the demand is not there," he said. "We decided to support the local GPs where we can by helping clinics be more accessible.

"We have probably been doing more after hours and staff testing as well. We have tested about 120 people which isn't a lot but there are no positive tests (at the hospital).

"Also, the fact that everything is at a reasonably contained level, gives us the undertaking that we will initially, subject to capacity, take COVID-19 positive patients if we get any."

Mr Fisher said Castlemaine Health would be in a position to face the winter season and expected rise in flu cases.

"Bendigo Health have been fantastic in the lead they have taken to support us and other smaller (health services)," he said. "It does give us some confidence and support that (we can cope), particularly in early days when initial modelling suggested going to have a massive surge. That still could happen but has probably changed now.

"We are in position where we are able to deal with what could be a surge around the flu, that's the next worry we have got. We're all in a situation we have never experienced before."