NZ - Swine flu helpline - big spike after deaths

[Sally Furniss]

Swine flu helpline stretched

Last updated 14:42 17/06/2009

LATEST Public concern over swine flu has swamped the Healthline advice call centre and St John's is being roped in to help out, Health Minister Tony Ryall said today.

He told Parliament's health select committee that Healthline was overstretched.

"We have got significant pressure on the 0800 Healthline service. What we know is they are receiving double the calls that they normally receive, with a real spike after the 6 o'clock news," Mr Ryall said.

Steps were being taken to reduce the pressure.

A regional public health unit was helping with the overflow of calls and from tomorrow St John's call centres would also be helping.

Support would also be given to GPs to get more information to the public.

The health ministry's website was also being upgraded as most callers were just seeking information or had general concerns and they could be referred to this site for assistance.

Mr Ryall repeated his belief that it was "inevitable" that the health system would have to give up trying to contain swine flu and just try to reduce the impact.

The health system was already under pressure trying to contain the disease in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

It was hoped to delay the spread of the disease as long as possible in order to reduce pressure on hospitals trying to cope with the regular winter flu season.

Mr Ryall said the ministry was stepping up advertising mainly around the "helping not to spread the flu" message.

"Normally we would see about 31,000 medical admissions to hospitals a month during winter. Officials think we could end up with another 4000 or so if the swine flu peak matches the winter peak," he said.

"That is why we are working assiduously to try and prevent that from happening."

There were currently 123 known cases in New Zealand and 2000 in Australia with most in Victoria,

"But they have stopped counting there (Victoria) now," Mr Ryall said.

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=110839

 

[Sally Furniss]

NZ - Swine flu GP support line to help manage pandemic

NZ - Swine flu GP support line to help manage pandemic

Swine flu GP support line to help manage pandemic
Thursday, 18 June 2009, 5:29 pm
Press Release: Royal NZ College of General Practitioners

MEDIA RELEASE

Swine flu support line for GPs set up to help manage pandemic

WELLINGTON ? 18 June 2009 ? A national GP support line for all flu pandemic queries has been set up to help GPs better manage the rise in swine flu cases.

The helpline for GPs has been established jointly by the Ministry of Health, the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners and ProCare Health to provide GPs with dedicated support for queries and updates on the new influenza A (H1N1) ?swine flu?.

This new phone line will be available to all GPs, beginning tomorrow for GPs in and north of Auckland and early next week for GPs in the rest of the country. The helpline will be staffed by College GPs from around NZ and ProCare, an Auckland primary health organisation, through the ProCare GP call centre.

Members of the public and anyone else concerned about the influenza should call Healthline on 0800 611 116, their local DHB?s public health unit or their own GP.

Minister of Health, Tony Ryall, said he was very pleased that front-line health staff would now have direct access to up-to-date expert advice.

?Once the focus shifts to managing more cases of swine flu in the community the workload for primary care is set to increase for a sustained period of time,? Tony Ryall said.

In addition to the phone line, GP-dedicated information and updates on swine flu pandemic will be available online at

www.moh.govt.nz

www.rnzcgp.org.nz and

www.procare.co.nz. An email address has also been set up to handle non-urgent swine flu enquiries.

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: NZ - Swine flu GP support line to help manage pandemic

Re: NZ - Swine flu GP support line to help manage pandemic

General information on the signs and symptoms of the new influenza, and advice on limiting the spread of infection and how to care for yourself at home are available on the Ministry of Health website: (http://www.moh.govt.nz). The Influenza A (H1N1) webpages have been upgraded to make it easier for people to find information.

Information and health advice can be accessed through Healthline 0800 611 116.

The Ministry of Health is boosting the capacity of the Healthline call centre to try to reduce waiting times and the Ministry apologises for delays experienced by some people.

Callers to Healthline seeking flu information who do not have symptoms should take the “Press 1” option.

They will hear the recorded information about Influenza A (H1N1) but can also opt to speak to an operator at anytime.

Those with flu symptoms should “Press 2” to speak to a registered nurse.

A national GP support line for all flu pandemic queries is currently being set up to help GPs better manage the rise in swine flu cases. The new telephone advice service will be established jointly by the Ministry of Health, the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners and ProCare Health.

http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/influenza-a-h1n1-update-seventynine-180609

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: NZ - Swine flu helpline stretched

Re: NZ - Swine flu helpline stretched

Health authorities Canterbury and Wellington are boosting helpline services for people seeking advice about swine flu.

Health authorities have given up trying to contain the spread of swine flu and are focusing now on managing it, meaning people will be encouraged to deal with their symptoms at home unless they are severe.

People in Canterbury are able to call a free helpline (0800 373 0370) from Saturday, while Wellington's Regional Public Health authority has increased the number of lines on its service (0800 120 064) from four to seven.

The Canterbury District Health Board says its telephone service should help take the pressure off GPs.

Those in Canterbury needing treatment or assessment will be referred to the flu centre that opened in Christchurch on Friday.

The Government's national Healthline also offers advice on swine flu.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2009/06/20/1245b645f4c1

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: NZ - Swine flu helpline boosted

Re: NZ - Swine flu helpline boosted

Dedicated Canterbury Flu Line Starts Today
Saturday, 20 June 2009, 4:51 pm
Press Release: Canterbury District Health Board

Corporate
Communications

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
The Princess Margaret Hospital, Level 2
Cashmere Road, PO Box 1600
CHRISTCHURCH

Dedicated Canterbury Flu Line Starts Today

From today (Saturday 20 June), Cantabrians can call a dedicated Canterbury Flu Line - 0800 37 30 37 - to seek medical advice if they are concerned about their influenza symptoms.

If required, callers will be given an appointment at the Canterbury Flu Centre that opened today.


?The dedicated 0800 number supports our Flu Centre, which is for people who need medical assessment and treatment for influenza and those who are at risk of developing complications because of underlying conditions,? says Dr Phil Schroeder, who leads the Canterbury Primary Pandemic Group.

?Most people will recover from Influenza A (H1N1) at home with the support of family and friends. However, a small proportion will need medical assistance. The 0800 number and the Flu Centre are there for them.?

?General practices and pharmacies would become overloaded with demand if they had to handle all of the calls and visits related to this influenza outbreak ? and it?s important that people call the 0800 number, and don?t visit health facilities. We hope that Cantabrians will use the 0800 number as their first port of call on flu related matters.?

Dr Schroeder says the telephone is one of the key weapons in the fight against Influenza A (H1N1).

The 0800 number is a free number and will be staffed from 8am to 9pm at this stage. Outside these hours people will be directed from the Flu Line to other phone services. Healthline 0800 611 116 is also still available for general health advice.

This initiative follows Canterbury District Health Board?s decision today to move its response to the current Influenza A (H1N1) pandemic to the ?manage it? phase.
As part of the management phase health officials will no longer quarantine close contacts of people who have been confirmed as having Influenza A (H1N1).

Dr Schroeder says, ?For general flu enquires people can still call Healthline 0800 611 116. However, if you are unwell, the best advice is to contact the Canterbury Flu Line 0800 37 30 37.?

For more information about influenza in Canterbury visit www.fluinfo.org.nz.

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: NZ - Swine flu helpline boosted

Re: NZ - Swine flu helpline boosted

Flu deaths spark calls for help
By REBECCA PALMER, TRACY WATKINS and TOBY ROBSON
Last updated 05:00 06/07/2009

The swine flu threat is hitting home, with thousands of calls flooding a helpline after the deaths of three people, including a Wellington eight-year-old.

The victims all had existing medical conditions, but the virus is also hitting the healthy.

A young woman with no underlying medical issues was in a critical condition in Wellington Hospital's intensive care unit last night, a hospital spokesman said.

The Health Ministry announced New Zealand's first three deaths linked to swine flu on Saturday.

They included an eight-year-old girl with underlying medical conditions who had tested positive for the disease and died at Wellington Hospital on Saturday morning. Her parents did not want to comment last night.

A 42-year-old man who died on Thursday in Christchurch also had underlying medical conditions.

Chief coroner Neil MacLean said it was also strongly probable swine flu was a major factor in the death of Zachary Wilson, 19. He died at home in Hamilton last Sunday, without having been tested for the virus or admitted to hospital. It is thought asthma may have contributed to his death.

Health Minister Tony Ryall said yesterday the recent deaths were "tragic, but to be expected".

Calls to the ministry's Healthline increased by 40 per cent after the three deaths were reported on Saturday. Health Ministry director of public health Mark Jacobs said the registered nurses who answered the phones received 2000 calls, with a "definite spike" after the television news at 6pm.

Dr Jacobs did not know the details of the latest swine flu case in Wellington Hospital's intensive care unit. "But we do know that this new virus can severely affect people who were otherwise healthy, although the risk is higher for people with other significant medical conditions."

There were "some preliminary indications" from overseas that people over 60 might be less at risk.

"It indicates that they may have been exposed to an earlier similar strain."

A second woman, 30, in intensive care in Wellington was in a serious but stable condition yesterday. She has been in intensive care for more than two weeks.

The total number of confirmed swine flu cases stood at 961 yesterday, with 292 Wellington region cases. But the actual number is likely to be higher than numbers reported by health authorities. Mr Ryall said there would be "many people with flu dealing with it at home".

The latest figures from ESR show GP consultation rates for influenza are already much higher than the peaks in the previous two years.

Wellington rugby players are among those who have been taking extra precautions. Poneke coach Richard Watt had the unusual experience of talking to a roomful of players wearing flu masks before a training run last week.

"I brought in the guys with the flu to talk over the game plan and P [team captain Misipalauni Moananu] threw all these masks on the table and they all put them on .... It was good thinking really because you don't want the whole team getting sick."

Marist St Pat's premier coach Murray Tocker said the club's top two sides had both been knocked about by the flu in the past week.

- The Dominion Post

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/2566853/Flu-deaths-spark-calls-for-help

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: NZ - Swine flu helpline - big spike after deaths

Media Release
3:30pm Monday 6 July 2009

Influenza A (H1N1) Swine Flu - Update Ninety-seven

Healthline continues to receive high volumes of calls with well over 2,000 calls answered yesterday (Sunday).

In many cases a single call can see a Healthline nurse assessing two or three members of a family or household who are all sick. This means many calls are taking longer than usual.

Healthline apologises for delays some callers are experiencing, and encourages people to continue holding. Staff are doing their best to assist people as soon as they can.

The average waiting time on Saturday was four minutes thirty three seconds and on Sunday, seven minutes five seconds.

Healthline operates a centralised call centre and in addition, it uses a work-at-home arrangement which sees 75% of Healthline nurses working from home around New Zealand, around the clock - 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Healthline is being backed up by the Ministry's Wanganui call centre and additional nurses are being brought in to bolster the number of nurses available to take calls.

In addition, the Ministry of Health website gives detailed information on caring for someone at home with influenza. This is available at http://www.moh.govt.nz/influenza-a-h1n1

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