REDHS chief executive Karen Laing, speaking to ABC Radio only days after the flood event, said the health service had evacuated all of its 64 residents and patients to five regional aged care and health facilities.
She and senior staff were completing a site assessment last week, providing photographic evidence of the damage to insurers before they were able to give a more accurate figure on the damage bill.
During the weekend there was an Echuca Regional Health nurse clinic conducted at the Rochester Recovery Centre’s Presbyterian Hall site and wound care consultants were based at the Gillies St pharmacy.
The emergency clinics were designed to assist people with cuts, abrasions and rashes — with health officials concerned with infection from the contaminated floodwater.
Ms Laing said the floodwater had not only damaged rooms and offices in the building, but also a variety of high-cost and specialised healthcare equipment.
“The floodwaters went through the entire building,” she told the ABC.
Ms Laing said there were only a few rooms, in the centre of the building, that were spared any significant damage.
“All the way from the front to the back of the building there is significant water damage,” she said.
“At its worst there was 30cm of water in some rooms.”
Ms Laing said, on advice from emergency services, residents and patients were evacuated well before floodwaters had encroached on the site.
“We evacuated all our residents and patients safely and in time,” she told the ABC.
“They are all going really well, but are scattered across the region at the moment.”
Ms Laing said REDHS staff had travelled with patients to Echuca, Bendigo and Shepparton, while some aged care residents were being cared for by the staff of facilities at Rushworth, Kyabram and Echuca.
Of the 64 residents and patients relocated, 27 high-care patients went to GV Health and were in an acute surgical ward with REDHS staff caring for them.
“We had 13 or 14 in a similar ward at Bendigo,” she said.
“For the Shepparton-based staff it was difficult, because they became marooned for a time themselves.”
Ms Laing said REDHS senior personnel had an evacuation plan, which was prepared — but not needed — before the 2011 flood event.
“In 2011 the hospital was not inundated, but we had to evacuate because of water and sewerage problems,” she said.
“The water didn’t get into the building in 2011.”
Ms Laing said it “would be months’’ before the REDHS facility was operational and the damage bill would be in the millions of dollars.
She said the priority, however, was people who had been caught up in the flood event — residents, patients and staff.
“We are working now to find appropriate longer-term accommodation for all our residents, until they are able to (return to) our site,” Ms Laing said.
“They were evacuated really quickly, but they can’t stay in the acute facilities.
“We are working with the state and Commonwealth governments to source more suitable longer-term accommodation for them.”
Ms Laing said some staff had been working back-to-back 12-hour shifts during the emergency, with REDHS having organised accommodation for the staff.
“Many of our staff have been impacted in their own homes and farms,” she said.
“At the moment we are cobbling together a bit of a skeleton roster and trying to provide respite where we can for the staff.”
Emergency and medical assistance, along with urgent care is available through the Echuca Regional Health Emergency Department, 226 Service St, Echuca, and is open 24/7.
Alternatively, Nurse On Call can provide immediate, expert advice from a registered practitioner. Nurse On Call can be contacted by phoning 1300 606 024 or visiting https://www.vved.org.au/ or, consult your GP when they are back up and running.
Campaspe Medical Centre is also impacted and is in the process or arranging alternate services. In the interim, phone Strathfieldsaye Primary Health on 5439 4442, and tell them you’re from Rochester and Dr Adel will look after you.
Campaspe Medical Centre is still providing its doctor-on-call service for URGENT matters and scripts, by phoning 0401 651 868.
For mental health support, phone 1800 595 212 for Head to Health or Lifeline on 131 114.
