032 Pandemic Outbreak Plan, including COVID-19

FOR:

‍All Proactive Support staff, participants, and advocates, carers and nominees of participants

PROACTIVE SUPPORT RELATED DOCUMENTS:

‘Risk Assessment’ form

‘Participant Profile and Support Plan’ form

Participant Emergency Preparedness Plan

004 Risk Management Framework

005 Risk Management Policy

006 Work Health and Safety Policy

012 Participant's Support Management Plan

019 Hazardous Substances Procedure

020 Emergency and Disaster Management (including Pandemic) Policy

021 Adverse Event Plans

022 Continuous Improvement Plan

095 Training and Resources Manual June 2024

PHONE NUMBERS:

000 – Emergency

0448389324 – Geoffrey, Community Access Co-ordinator

0406940123 – Proactive Support

1. Rights and Responsibilities

All Staff 

It is the responsibility of all staff to: 

• Maintain their own health and safety.

• Do not attend a shift if they have a fever, or even mild symptoms, including cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose or nasal congestion, tiredness or loss of smell or taste; or returned from overseas or interstate in the last 14 days, consistent with their state or territory’s public health directions; or been in contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19.  

• Communicate effectively with Proactive Support’s management team and the participants, carers and nominees throughout a pandemic outbreak 

• Have input into identifying risks, needs of the participant and workable solutions 

• Be compliant with Proactive Support’s 020 Emergency and Disaster Management (including Pandemic) Policy, and 021 Adverse Events Plans 

• Assist participants to complete out their own Emergency Preparedness Plans, especially with regards to a pandemic

• Ensure compliance with infection control and hygiene practices, including the use of Personal Protective Equipment - PPE where necessary

• Undertake and maintain infection control training and provide documentation of such.

Management 

It is the responsibility of management to: 

• identify and comply with relevant legislation and regulations in relation to infection control by adopting standard and transmission-based precautions as directed in the Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare (2019) and by QLD public health authorities  

• fulfil its legal responsibilities in relation to work health and safety as prescribed by the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld).

• Adequately prepare for pandemics, including developing Plans to provide guidance should a pandemic event occur 

• Consult and communicate with participants, advocates, carers, nominees and staff prior, during and following the pandemic outbreak

• Ensure staff are aware of, trained in and comply with the policy and plans 

• Respond rapidly in a pandemic outbreak, making any necessary changes to participant supports, being adaptable and managing interruptions, ensuring continuity of supports where possible as per NDIS Practice Standards (See section 5)  

• Identify which supports are critical for the health, wellbeing, and safety of a person with a disability.

• Identify and assess risks to the participants and to the organisation (such as financial, operational, workplace health and safety obligations), and implement controls to mitigate these where possible.

• Continuously seek to improve the response to a pandemic outbreak by utilising the review process

2. Understanding COVID-19

2.1 Recognising COVID-19

COVID-19 is a contagious viral infection that generally causes respiratory illness in humans. Presentation can range from no symptoms (asymptomatic) to severe illness with potentially life-threatening complications, including pneumonia. COVID-19 is spread by contact with respiratory secretions and fomites. The most common signs and symptoms include:  

• Fever

• Dry cough  

Other symptoms can include:  

• Shortness of breath

• sputum production

• fatigue  

Less common symptoms include:  

• sore throat

• headache  

• muscle pain and/or joint pain

• chills  

• nausea or vomiting  

• nasal congestion  

• diarrhoea  

• coughing up blood form your lungs or airways  

• conjunctival congestion  

2.2 Routes of Transmission

COVID-19 is transmitted via droplets and fomites during close unprotected contact with an infected person. People with disability could have more serious complications if they get sick with COVID-19, depending on the nature of their disability and other medical history.

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3. Standards of Precautions

3.1 Lockdowns/Movement Restrictions

• Follow Qld Department of Health Directives where possible.

• Keep in contact with Proactive Support management

3.2 Hygiene Measures

• Washing your hands regularly for 20 to 30 seconds; and especially after touching communal surfaces e.g. door handles and taps

• If soap and water is not available, use a hand sanitiser. Hand sanitiser does not replace washing your hands after using the bathroom.

• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

• Covering your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing with a tissue or coughing into your elbow.

• Dispose of used tissues into a bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards.

• Clean surfaces with detergent/disinfectant wipes when available if droplets are spread (such as sneezing or coughing) so that the potential spread of infection can be minimised.

• Use Personal Protective Equipment - PPE (masks, gloves, face shields) if necessary, based on the level of risk and as per official health directives. Dispose of PPE after each use, and wash hands as above.

• Do not share cups, glasses, plates, utensils, towels or bedding with others.

4. What to do:

4.1 Following Health Directives

In a pandemic where a state of emergency is declared it is important to follow directives where possible. This means in some cases (for example in a lockdown) Community Access shifts may not be able to go ahead unless they are considered essential services. This can be determined by:

• A risk assessment (as part of a Participant Profile and Support Plan)

• Communication between Proactive Support and the participant and if needed, the advocate, carer or nominee

• Thorough reading of Health Directive definitions – Director’s role

4.2 If you become/are ill

• Get tested if necessary and let Proactive Support know your status

• Follow the relevant current Health Directive and get better soon!

• If you need to cancel a shift because you are sick:

• Staff call Geoffrey if you cannot make a shift - Geoffrey will fill the shift with another staff member if possible

• Participants call your support worker / Proactive Support if you cannot go ahead with a shift

5. Obligations under the NDIS

It is a condition of registration with the NDIS to notify the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commissioner via the NDIS Commission Portal of any changes or events that substantially affect Proactive Support’s ability to provide supports and services.  This will be done by the Director during a Pandemic Outbreak.

5.1 NDIS Code of Conduct

The NDIS Code of Conduct requires workers and providers who deliver NDIS supports to NDIS participants to, among other things:

• Provide supports and services in a safe and competent manner with care and skill

• Promptly take steps to raise and act on concerns about matters that might have an  

• impact on the quality and safety of supports provided to people with disability

5.2 NDIS Practice Standards

The NDIS Practice Standards provide guidance for registered providers, including standards for governance and operational management, as well as the provision of supports environment.

Governance and operational management, includes:

• having robust governance and operational management systems

• considering organisational risks, other requirements related to operating under the NDIS, participants’ and workers’ needs and the wider organisational environment in your strategic and business planning

• identifying and managing risks, both to participants and workers

• analysing, prioritising, and treating risks to the organisation, including participants, work health and safety risks, and risks associated with providing supports

• ensuring continuity of support so that participants access timely and appropriate support without interruption, including that disaster preparedness and planning measures are in place to enable continuation of critical supports before, during or after a disaster.

Provision of supports environment, includes:

• each participant accessing supports in a safe environment that is appropriate to their needs. This includes, where relevant, you working with other providers and services to identify and treat risks, ensure safe environments, and prevent and manage injuries

• verification standards include a requirement for risk management, including managing work health and safety, which requires protecting the health, safety and wellbeing of workers and others who may be affected by work activities – including NDIS participants.

6. Training

Proactive Support’s comprehensive Training and Resources Manual details all available training sessions for staff to utilise as required for Infection prevention and control. Staff will undergo specific training where required to ensure that they are well-informed and proficient in their roles. Staff will be offered refresher training as required. All training may be conducted face to face or remotely. Training outcomes include continuous professional development and compliance with PS Policies and Procedures. Training will be noted in the staff members’ Case and Training notes. Mandatory and Refresher training is recorded and tracked in ShiftCare with alerts when updates are required.

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