DON KR Castlemaine has donated a new defibrillator to Castlemaine Health as thanks for the invaluable support the business received from the health service during COVID 19.
When COVID 19 hit in early 2020 and DON KR Castlemaine had its first on site positive case it was mandated that every one of their 1,100 employees be tested for the virus.
DON KR reached out to Castlemaine Health for assistance to test employees.
DON KR Castlemaine Quality Assurance Manager, Rachel Wood says not having a local testing option and trying to send all staff to other locations would have been a logistical nightmare.
“We needed to get our staff tested and it was important that the testing be done quickly,” she says.
“Castlemaine Health, along with partner CHIRP, offered to set up a drive through clinic with the capacity to meet the testing requirement at one location in Castlemaine.”
“We had a popup clinic for staff within hours of the positive case, which was able to test 40 people. The following day, 350 people were tested at the drive through clinic in its first full day of operation.”
Rachel says the speed of Castlemaine Health’s response enabled them to get the results they needed back quickly and the factory up and running again. DON KR was operational faster than any other similar business in Victoria.
“Others in the industry wanted to know how we managed it. It was due to Castlemaine Health and their testing.”
Rachel says giving back to the health service was very important to DON KR. They knew a defibrillator was needed in the Urgent Care Centre to replace an older unit. The Phillips Efficia defibrillator was delivered late last month and, after training sessions with staff this week, is now in service.
“It’s great that DON KR and Castlemaine Health, two major industries in town, have been able to work together during such a challenging year and respond to the needs of our community,” says Castlemaine Health Nurse Unit Manager, Geroe, Steve Warren.
“We hope this will only strengthen our relationship going forward.”
