Wednesday 8 September | 12:15-13:00

Format: Lecture

Stream: Population and Public Health

Content filters: Using technology to enable change, Responses to the covid-19 pandemic, Patient, service user or carer co-presenter

Globally, crisis-led innovations have helped countries to cope with covid-19 outbreaks. Healthcare systems around the world have rapidly put into practice new ideas and strategies. In this session we’ll hear two examples of redesigning clinical pathways in response to covid-19 outbreaks in Australia. How can these innovations be preserved and developed in the post-pandemic world?

(Part A) Supporting systems in critical times: establishing the covid-19 Critical Intelligence Unit in New South Wales

In New South Wales, the healthcare system’s response to covid-19 has to date been successful in attenuating the worst effects of the pandemic. One part of that response was the formation of a new organisational entity – the Critical Intelligence Unit (CIU) – which brought together clinical, analytical, research, organisational and policy experts to provide timely and considered advice to decision-makers and play a complementary role to the frontline pandemic response teams. This session outlines the governance, structure, staffing, outputs, and contributions of the unit, and some key findings from its work.

After this session, participants will be able to:

• Reflect on the potential benefits of an integrated intelligence service in their setting, to inform policy and clinical practice in a rapid and agile way


• Understand ways to bring together and leverage different data sets to provide responsive and ‘good enough’ information to decision makers


• Consider the benefits of a ‘versatilist’ approach to creating, synthesising and disseminating evidence for decision-makers

Kim Sutherland, System and Thematic Reports Agency for Clinical Innovation; Australia

Louisa Walsh, Centre for Health Communication and Participation, La Trobe University; Australia

(Part B) A pandemic response that changed the Victorian health system: rapid development of integrated care for people who have covid-19

At its peak Victoria had more than 700 people per day with covid-19. In order to ensure the best outcomes for the community, an integrated care pathway was rapidly developed and spread across the entire population of Victoria. The outcome was a person-centred system, encompassing social, mental and physical care needs, integration between community, primary and acute providers. There is much to be learnt from this programme of work, its application during a pandemic and the conditions required to overcome long-established barriers to integrated care.

After this session, participants will be able to:

• Identify success drivers to rapid deployment of integrated care delivery


• Understand the key enabler of clinical information sharing


• Reflect on the difference between metro and regional services in the delivery of integrated care for people who are covid-positive

Neville Board, Department of Health, Victoria; Australia