Our COVID-19 Response Policy
Purpose
As an NDIS service provider, Melbourne Disability Services will fulfil our obligations to deliver safe, quality supports and services while also managing risks associated with the supports we provide to our participants.
Our COVID-19 Response Policy and Procedure is in line with the Australian Federal Government and NDIS guidelines regarding outbreak preparedness, prevention and management of COVID-19 within Melbourne Disability Services. The purpose of this policy is to avoid or minimise transmission of COVID-19 within our organisation and the community.
Throughout the pandemic, Melbourne Disability Services will endeavour to maintain full-service capacity and will continue to provide supports that are critical to the wellbeing, health and safety of our participants, while complying with both state and federal regulatory requirements. We acknowledge that at times due to COVID-19, we may have to tailor our services or apply limitations to the provision of our non-essential services.
We are focused on preserving the health and safety of the people we are responsible for, including our participants, employees and their families. However, we acknowledge that at some point, a participant or employee may contract COVID-19.
Scope
This policy intends to guide our employees regarding how to take reasonable precautions to protect themselves and participants from contracting COVID-19. The policy outlines how we have prepared for an outbreak of COVID-19 and how we will respond and manage confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19.
Description
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses known to cause respiratory infections. These can range from the common cold to more serious diseases. This new coronavirus is named COVID-19.
COVID-19 is transmitted from person-to-person, usually when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Common signs of novel coronavirus are:
- fever
- coughing
- sore throat
- fatigue
- loss of smell and taste
- shortness of breath.
It is important to note, to raise awareness and not spread fear, that while COVID-19 exhibits symptoms similar to the flu, it is not as simple as contracting seasonal flu. Most people have immunity to the flu, there is a vaccine, and the flu spreads more slowly through the community. There is no vaccine against COVID-19, and it is still highly unpredictable with conditions changing daily nationally and globally.
Definitions
| Term | Definition |
| Close contact | More than 15 minutes of face-to-face contact in any setting with a confirmed (or probable) case in the period from 24 hours before the onset of symptoms in the confirmed (or probable) case. Sharing a closed space with a confirmed (or probable) case for a prolonged period (more than two hours) in the period extending from 24 hours before the onset of symptoms in the confirmed (probable) case. |
| Outbreak | The Australian Government Department of Health considers an outbreak as when two people in three days become sick with symptoms and at least one of these three has a positive COVID-19 test. |
Policy
Melbourne Disability Services will implement our COVID-19 Response Policy and Procedure to ensure all participants, staff members and external contractors are supported if a COVID-19 case is identified within, or connected to, our organisation.
With state government health orders frequently changing to respond to COVID-19 outbreaks, our organisation will, on an ongoing basis, identify and implement any revisions required to the practices and supports undertaken by our business to meet all requirements of the NDIS Commission and the state and federal government.
Melbourne Disability Services will identify threats that may require further analysis of our current work practices and supports. The review of current practices will inform our organisational risk management and continuous improvement systems.