Alesha Capone and Tara Murray
Western suburbs resident Michelle Edwards is urging the community to show support and understanding for healthcare workers, as COVID-19 puts increasing pressure on all those employed in the field.
Mrs Edwards, a patient services assistant at a large Melbourne hospital, said that there are many “forgotten healthcare workers” in Victoria who are doing it tough.
Mrs Edwards said that due to COVID, most hospitals were understaffed at the moment, despite increasing workloads.
“For healthcare workers, there are no replacements,” she said.
“So many people are burnt out.
“So many healthcare workers are working so many days and long shifts.”
Mrs Edwards, who is on stress leave, said many in her position felt they were letting their colleagues down if they did take time off work.
While she is on leave, Mrs Edwards said she wanted to show appreciation for other workers in healthcare.
Mrs Edwards and her five children – Lilly, Klayton, Ella, Alex and Jacob, who are aged between three and 14 years old – have been putting together 250 pamper packs for healthcare workers, containing items such as soap, candles and slippers.
Two other AHVW members are helping Mrs Edwards to drop the packs off to midwives, mental health nurses, community workers, social workers, paramedics and other healthcare employees across Wyndham, Bacchus Marsh, St Albans and Taylors Hill.
“My kids were going to be get vaccinated at Taylors Hill medical clinic and they had to cancel it … I called them up and speaking to the staff member you could hear she was so stressed.
“The had less the normal staff than they normally would with people isolating and furloughing and they couldn’t get rapid antigen tests.
“There is no support for them. I took 10 packs down to her along with some alcohol and chocolate. I took down some RAT tests as well.
“She was just speechless. People need to be kind. There’s no support for GPs.”
Details: www.facebook.com/groups/adoptaHCWVictoria
