22 October 2020

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Updates to Victorian Public Health Directions in residential settings

The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has issued updated directions for residential disability settings which came into effect from 11:59pm on Sunday 18 October 2020. 

Key points 

• Disability residential providers must implement written declarations for all visitors and for all workers before every shift.
• Workers who have worked at an outbreak site must limit mobility across sites.
• Records must be kept of all staff and visitors.
• Providers have a seven day grace period to implement these changes

Updates to Workplace (Additional Industry Obligations) Directions 

Victoria’s Chief Health Officer, Professor Brett Sutton, has amended the Workplace (Additional Industry Obligations) Directions No. 9 (Word, 136KB) to include specific requirements for care facilities. ‘Care facilities’ in Victoria includes:

• disability residential services, including group homes, respite
• SDA enrolled dwellings
• short-term accommodation and assistance dwellings.

The new changes are summarised in the updated Factsheet on care facilities - Disability accommodation (119KB).

Declaration in writing at start of shift
Disability residential service providers must require workers to declare in writing at the start of their shift or commencing work in the disability residential service that they are:

• free of coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms
• in the preceding 14 days, have not been in contact with a confirmed case (except in the course of their duties while wearing appropriate personal protective equipment)
• are not currently required to self-isolate or self-quarantine.

Worker mobility
New requirements prevent a staff member (or contractor) who has worked at a care facility where there has been an outbreak of COVID-19 from working at another care facility. These staff must wait at least 14 days and test negative for COVID-19 before working at a different care facility.

Refer to the updated directions for specific details of the new mobility requirements for workers in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.

Record-keeping obligations
Disability residential service providers must keep records of people who attend the disability residential service including rosters, attendance records and declarations of all workers and visitors.

Cleaning
Disability residential service providers must comply with DHHS cleaning requirements.

Updates to Care Facilities Directions

Amendments to the Care Facilities Directions No. 14 (Word, 58KB) include changes to the limits on visitors. For example, in regional areas the limit is now one household at a time for a maximum of two hours.

Refer to the updated directions for full details of the changes to visitor limits; however, you must continue to take reasonable steps to facilitate phone, video calls or other electronic communication with the parents, guardians, partners, carers and support persons of residents to ensure the physical, emotional and social wellbeing of the people you support.

Disability residential service providers must also ensure visitors declare in writing before coming into contact with residents that they:

• are free of coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms
• in the preceding 14 days have not been in contact with a confirmed case (except in the course of their employment while wearing the appropriate level of personal protective equipment in the circumstances)
• are not currently required to self-isolate or self-quarantine.

Please read and implement the actions outlined in the Workplace Directions and Care Facilities Directions, noting that there is a seven day grace period for implementing the changes.

For more information about implementing the new directions, refer to the DHHS Disability services sector COVID-19 webpage.

Further information, alerts and resources

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) information webpage on the NDIS Commission website contains links to updates, training, alerts and other resources.

We also have a COVID-19 webpage containing information for people with disability, and a webpage of frequently asked questions about COVID-19 for all stakeholders.

Contact Us

• Call: 1800 035 544 (free call from landlines). Our contact centre is open 9.00am to 4.30pm in the NT, 9.00am to 5.00pm in the ACT, NSW, QLD, SA, TAS and VIC Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.
• Email: contactcentre@ndiscommission.gov.au
• Website: www.ndiscommission.gov.au

Links to previous COVID-19 provider alerts 

Visit the NDIS Commission website to see our previous COVID-19 provider alerts.