Instructions for eligible primary health care providers to request distribution is outlined below:
Once Adelaide PHN has received your completed EOI, a practice facilitator will contact you. Distribution is by courier only.
Those who have already received an allocation of masks or PPE but need addional supply should recomplete and resubmit the relevant EOI. Where stocks allow and the practice, pharmacy, Aboriginal community controlled health service or allied health provider can demonstrate both evidence of need and use within current guidelines, Adelaide PHN will try to support supply of additional stock.
Find detailed information about mask and PPE distribution, eligibility criteria, quantities per allocation and relevant guidelines for use below.
Adelaide GP and Primary Care Provider Updates about the SA Response
Recent highlights, resources and announcements relevant to primary health care providers
Key links and resources for primary health care providers
Instructions for general practice, pharmacy and Aboriginal controlled health services
Multiple clinics available across Adelaide to support GP assessment and testing of people with mild to moderate respiratory symptoms.
In keeping with current management advice for health professionals providing care to those with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infection, the Commonwealth Department of Health (DoH) and SA Health have been supporting distribution of surgical masks, P2/N95 masks and other PPE to primary health care providers with a demonstrated need via Adelaide PHN.
The range and availability of various PPE supplies through Adelaide PHN continues to change based on factors such as availability of commercial supply, evidence of need, supply levels and guidance from Commonwealth and State Health Departments. Adelaide PHN will continue to update this webpage and relevant Expression of Interest (EOIs) forms to reflect these changes.
All surgical masks supplied to general practice from National and State Medical Stockpiles are to be used in line with current COVID-19 PPE recomendations.
Supplied surgical masks (Commonwealth Tranche 4) are intended for general practices and, when no local commercial supply is available, allied health and community pharmacies:
For context, supplied surgical masks are NOT for general distribution to community members, cannot be sold as commercial stock and should not be supplied to all practice staff for general everyday wear (eg. currently in South Australia, with no evidence of community transmission and no direction for general masking in clinical settings, a general practice receptionist is not recommended to wear a mask across the work day).
General practice reminder: where ANY of the appropriate PPE is unavailable at your practice, patients seeking COVID-19 testing should be recommended to use the alternative COVID-19 testing pathways (referral no longer required at any dedicated COVID-19 testing service in metropolitan Adelaide).
Relevant resources and information:
Adelaide PHN, like all PHNs, have been directed to conserve stocks of P2/N95 respirators as far as possible. Where distribution has been supported, P2/N95 masks use must be strictly limited to use within current guidelines.
In the vast majority of circumstances when managing the care of a patient with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infection, including specimen collection, surgical masks are effective. P2/N95 masks are only recommended for use during during aerosol generating procedures.
In addition, supplied P2/N95 masks should only be used by staff when all of the following criteria is met:
General Practice
Includes Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS), after-hours GP home visiting services, Medical Deputising Services (MDS), and Nurse Practitioner owned or led primary care practices
As supplies are limited, Adelaide PHN is distributing surgical masks to practices within the Adelaide metropolitan region with a demonstrated need, including:
Community pharmacies
Adelaide metropolitan community pharmacies are eligible to access the supply for their staff to use when there is no available commercial supply, and:
Please note, supplied masks distributed through PHNs cannot be sold as commercial stock (anyone found to be onselling masks will be charged full cost for all stock and no further provisions will be made).
Allied health
Adelaide metropolitan allied health professionals are now eligible for limited access to surgical mask supply for their staff when there is no available commercial supply and they are working in higher-risk clinical areas and with higher risk vulnerable patients or in areas where there may be community transmission of COVID-19.
Given the diverse nature of the allied health sector, when determining whether allocation of masks is appropriate, Adelaide PHN will consider:
In areas where there is no evidence or suspicion of community transmission, Adelaide PHN will consider:
Adelaide PHN will continue to expect that allied health professions will, where possible, not see patients with respiratory symptoms or at a higher risk of COVID-19 unless required to as part of their core business (eg. an optometrist may be able to defer seeing a patient with respiratory symptoms until that person is well).
All supplies of PPE remain very limited and allocation of masks (surgical and N95) and other PPE items will continue to take into account commercial availability, National and State distribution guidelines, demonstrated need, practice/service size, use within current guidelines and equitable access across our region.
Generally, eligible primary health care providers can expect the following allocation of surgical masks:
Where your practice/clinic/pharmacy/service is running low of surgical masks or other PPE, please recomplete and submit the EOI. Where available and there is evidence of use within current guidelines, Adelaide PHN is supporting resupply.
There are a range of COVID-19 testing clinics and services available across the Adelaide region:
To support the South Australian response to COVID-19, maximise PPE use across our region and minimise risk in general practice, Adelaide PHN continues to encourage general practices to utlise the dedicated COVID-19 testing services wherever possible.
Where any PPE items (including masks, gowns, gloves, goggles) are unavailable at your practice, GPs should recommend patients utlise the alternative testing pathways above (please note, from 7 Aug 2020 - no GP referral or specimen collection forms are required at any dedicated metropolitan testing service).
We acknowledge the Kaurna peoples who are the Traditional Custodians of the Adelaide Region. We pay tribute to their physical and spiritual connection to land, waters and community, enduring now as it has been throughout time. We pay respect to them, their culture and to Elders past and present.
Please note, the term Aboriginal is used across this website as an all-encompassing term for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and cultures.
While the Australian Government Department of Health has contributed to the funding of this website, the information on this website does not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Government and is not advice that is provided, or information that is endorsed, by the Australian Government. The Australian Government is not responsible in negligence or otherwise for any injury, loss or damage however arising from the use of or reliance on the information provided on this website.