Community Services Industry Communique (COVID—19 Recovery)
19 January 2022 Ros Atkinson — YFCC • Shared care arrangements — visibility of vulnerable clients. • Shorter timeframe appointments. • Outdoor venues where possible. • Didn’t foresee requirements regarding RATs — timing and direction. o Staff complete RAT or PCR if symptomatic or contact of symptomatic staff. o Complete between days 3-5 and days 6-7. If both negative, allowed to return to work. o Access made this difficult — supply shortfalls. o Biggest risk with supported accommodation youth services. First case — contact Public Health. Advised clients staying in accommodation were not close contacts due to Public Health, mask, social distancing practices in place. • Concerned with this advice, but it meant able to continue delivery without shutting down — where else would our clients go? o Continuity success has come down to staff being willing to show up, find safe solutions and support clients in best way possible. o Flexible, communication, support. • Exemptions — concern about increased risk and potential for exposure. o Organisations would be required to assess risks and practicalities. o Penny — in our NSW services we assess the risk and only allow people to continue to work if it means the difference between staying open or having to close. Do you have capacity to fill staff positions when they may be out of action due to COVID-19? Some limited capacity — we recruited some additional casuals pre-15 December, anticipating need for backfill. We haven’t got as much as we’ve ended up needing due to changes in outbreak scenario/people leaving. Matt Rowell — Lady Gowrie • 570 staff — mandatory vax order announced mid-Dec, 8 Jan deadline. o Logistical nightmare. • Updated COVID-19 Safety Plan for every service, as well as vaccine policy shift. o 6 staff/570 exited due to that order. • No impact before summer break — re-opened 4 Jan with start of cases. o Friday 7 Jan — started staff and children in centres. 15 staff tested positive. 12 children, including small clusters. 50 designated close contacts. o Difficulty meeting mandatory ratios — getting by on quiet time of year for services. • Definition of close contact in workplace changed significantly in short time. Advice changing every day. o Communication problem, frustration in applying this consistently and delivering to families. • Media/social media — highlighting conflict, causing concern and anxiety. o Reassuring all that our sole interest is the best interest of children to ensure we can deliver care and ensure families can go to work. • COVID-19 Safety Plans and Outbreak Management Plan — always missing things, having specific materials, communication to families, checklist for staff to ask questions necessary by Public Health. • Formed response team — senior leadership, key managers, communications team member. 1