Wentworth Healthcare, provider of the Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network, is urging Hawkesbury residents who may be experiencing COVID-like symptoms to get tested, following the recent Crossroads Hotel outbreak.
Lizz Reay, CEO of Wentworth Healthcare said, "It is vital that anyone who visited the Crossroads Hotel or Planet Fitness in Casula, the Picton Hotel in Picton, or any of the other identified locations during the designated dates, is tested in line with NSW Government recommendations to prevent the spread of the disease."
Wentworth Healthcare helped establish the federally funded GP-led COVID-19 Respiratory Clinic in Hawkesbury, which is one of three free GP-led COVID Clinics in the Nepean Blue Mountains region.
"GP-led COVID-19 Respiratory Clinics are particularly helpful for patients with a respiratory illness who require a face-to-face consultation with a GP that can't be managed by telehealth alone," Ms Reay said.
"The purpose of the clinic is to assess all people with any respiratory symptom such as sore throat, fever, cough, or shortness of breath, even those with mild symptoms and to provide clinical advice on symptom management, not just COVID-19 testing."
The Clinic is located at 6 Kable Street, Windsor, and is run by - and located next door to - Myhealth Medical Centre. The Clinic is open Monday to Friday, 8.30am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-5.30pm.
Attendance at the Clinic is free but by appointment only and patients should not "just turn-up", said Ms Reay. Appointments should be made online by visiting www.nbmphn.com.au/GPCOVIDClinics. Patients will receive their test results via phone or SMS and will be referred back to their usual GP for ongoing management.
"The Hawkesbury GP-led Respiratory Clinic is additional option to the Local Health District's hospital and drive-through COVID-19 testing services. Only through widespread testing can we detect new cases of community transmission and prevent a possible second wave of the disease," Ms Reay said.
For more information go to www.nbmphn.com.au/GPCOVIDClinics.
