Pegasus Health Contracting Coordinator, Jaimee Cairns, has been so busy putting her logistics skills to use supporting the Canterbury COVID response, that she’s almost forgotten what her usual role looks like.
Jaimee typically spends her time in a dual role within the Practice Support and Coordination Service and Contracting and Funding team. Some of her core responsibilities include coordinating and overseeing funding and service delivery contracts.
“For several months, I’ve been supporting CPRG and EOC in an admin capacity,” Jaimee says. “I have been involved in the COVID response since the initial outbreak in early 2020. First I worked in the phone triage based out of Pegasus, that was introduced as a means to support practices. Since then, I have supported in a variety of different ways as well as attempting to balance my usual role.”
“With the Omicron outbreak, I was called in to help set up the Wigram Community-based Testing Centre (CBAC). From there it was identified that there was a growing cluster at the University of Canterbury. I was stationed there as Site Lead for a week and a half with a team of six. We were set up to provide PCR tests for the students to help the Health Centre on campus. This allowed them to focus on providing routine health care and care for their growing number of positive cases. Eventually we moved into the distribution of Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs).”
“Since then I’ve been the site lead at the distribution site in Rangiora, managing staff, admin and logistics.”
Jaimee has found her new roles a welcome challenge. “It’s a highly evolving situation where things are changing all the time. I’m getting to work with different people across the health sector and expanding both my skills and knowledge.”
Jaimee’s top tip for managing these times is all about social support. “Check in on your friends and family. Everyone’s getting pretty fatigued, and a bit over it all,” Jamie says. “For me, I have a really good support network of great colleagues, friends and family. I’m getting through with lots of FaceTime calls.”
