On this page

1. Aim of the clinical community of practice
2. Governance
3. Clinical leads
4. This community of practice scope is not
5. Membership
6. Frequency of the community of practice
7. Guidelines and resources

Aim of the clinical community of practice

The Pathology Clinical Community of Practice will provide an opportunity for sharing of ideas, strategies, local solutions and concerns with respect to COVID-19 pandemic preparedness.

The community of practice will be multidisciplinary and include representation from pathology providers across NSW including representatives working in all NSW Health LHDs. It will enable clinicians and clinical managers in Pathology to provide expert advice and guidance to the system, and to escalate matters that require a statewide or system response.

The aim of these sessions is to:

• support clinicians to network and share strategies, local solutions and issues with respect to pandemic preparedness relevant to pathology
• identify, prioritise and escalate issues related to COVID-19 which are actually or potentially affecting clinicians providing pathology services that require a statewide or system response
• review and provide expert clinical advice on guidelines, resources and other information
• share Ministry approved advice and resources on the response to COVID-19.

Governance

• Executive sponsor: Deb Willcox, Deputy Secretary, Health System Strategy and Resources
• Clinical lead: Professor Roger Wilson, Chief Pathologist, NSW Health Pathology
• Community of practice secretariat: Trish Lorger – 0410 430 035

NSW Health Pathology will escalate issues raised by the community of practice to Strategic Reform and Planning. Key information will be collected and distributed through MOH-COVID19-ClinicalAdvice@health.nsw.gov.au, which will be monitored by Strategic Reform and Planning.

Collated issues/advice will be escalated by Ms Willcox through to the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) and/or the State Health Emergency Operations Centre (SHEOC) as appropriate.

PHEOC and SHEOC responses will be provided to Strategic Reform and Planning and then to the community of practice secretariat(s).

Weekly community of practice updates will be provided to NSW Health Chief Executives.

Clinical leads

Each community of practice will have a clinical lead appointed by Deb Willcox, Deputy Secretary, Health System Strategy and Resources.

The clinical lead will:

• assist with the facilitation of the community of practice
• work with clinical peers in pathology, the districts and networks to share ideas and develop appropriate response strategies
• provide expert advice and guidance to the system and Ministry as required
• escalate relevant matters to the Ministry that require a statewide or system response
• provide expert advice to respond to media enquiries.

This community of practice scope is not

A group which is able to endorse statewide changes or make decisions that impacts a unit or system or allocate funding to recommendations.

Membership

This community of practice is open to all pathology providers in NSW. As a minimum it will include representation from pathologists working in all districts and networks. However, membership may be extended more broadly to include other interested staff as well asprofessional colleges, private providers/clinicians and other non-government organisations as appropriate to the clinical speciality.

To join the community of practice participants should email Trish.Lorger@health.nsw.gov.au

Frequency of the community of practice

Weekly basis on a Wednesday, commencing 1 April from 2:30pm using Skype for business. Skype for business or e-Health Conferencing details will be attached to the calendar invite.

Guidelines and resources