31 August 2020

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Pandemic response guidance and updates to Public Health Directions for Queensland

The Queensland Government has provided disability accommodation service providers with guidance on using PPE in residential aged care and disability accommodation.

Key points 

• The Queensland Government has written to disability accommodation service providers with guidance on the use of PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Guidance for the “moderate risk” category now applies to all healthcare facilities in the Gold Coast Local Government Area (LGA), including disability accommodation service providers and residential aged care facilities.
• LGAs in the Darling Downs Region have now been added to the list of Queensland’s restricted areas, and must now follow certain Public Health Directions.
• Public Health Direction – Disability Accommodation Services (No.3) takes effect from 12.00pm today.
• It is a condition of registration with the NDIS Commission that you comply with the laws of the state in which you operate, including Public Health Directions.

Queensland Government: RACF and Disability Accommodation PPE Guideline

Dr John Wakefield, Director-General Queensland Health, and Dr Jeannette Young, Queensland Chief Health Officer, have this week written to disability accommodation service providers with a copy of the Pandemic response guidance on personal protective equipment (PPE) in residential aged care (RACF) and disability care accommodation services [PDF 541KB] (RACF and Disability Accommodation PPE Guideline).

The RACF and Disability Accommodation Guideline defines three levels of pandemic transmission risk, with associated PPE requirements for residential aged care and disability care accommodation services.

Although it is not a mandatory directive, it aims to support the decisions you make in response to the mandatory Public Health Direction Queensland COVID-19 Restricted Areas Direction (No.3), Aged Care Direction (No.9) and Disability Accommodation Services Direction.

We strongly encourage you to read and follow the recommendations outlined in the RACF and Disability Accommodation Guideline. As well, we remind you that it is a condition of your registration with the NDIS Commission that you comply with the laws of the state in which you operate, which includes Public Health Directions.

Gold Coast Local Government Area

With effect from 8.00am on Saturday 29 August, Queensland Health has added the Gold Coast Local Government Area (LGA) to the “moderate” risk category. All healthcare facilities, residential aged care facilities and disability accommodation service providers in this LGA should follow the guidance outlined under “moderate risk”.

For more information, visit the Queensland Health website.

Darling Downs Region added to list of COVID-19 restricted areas

From 8.00am this morning, six LGAs in the Darling Downs Region have been added to the list of restricted areas for Queensland’s COVID-19 Restricted Areas Direction (No. 5). The full list of restricted areas is on the Queensland Government website.

If you operate in any of these restricted areas, you must abide by the following Public Health Directions:

• Aged Care (No. 9) or its successor
• Hospital Visitors (No. 6) or its successor
• Movement and Gathering (No. 3) or its successor
• Disability Accommodation Services (No. 2) or its successor

Full details of these Public Health Directions are on the Queensland Health website.

Disability Accommodation Services Direction (No.3) commences today

From 12.00pm today, Disability Accommodation Services Direction (No.3) takes effect. Under this update to the previous Disability Accommodation Services Direction:

• Students who are under the supervision of an employee or contractor may enter a restricted shared disability accommodation service.
• People who have a temperature of 37.5 degrees or more, or symptoms consistent with COVID-19, cannot enter a disability accommodation service.
• Operators of restricted disability accommodation services should ensure staff, contractors and volunteers do not work across multiple facilities, where possible.

NDIS Commission resource on outbreak prevention

Our fact sheet on COVID-19 outbreak preparedness, prevention and management contains practical guidance to support you to:

• ensure your workers take reasonable precautions to protect people with disability and themselves
• prepare for an outbreak of COVID-19
• respond to suspected or confirmed cases in different types of service settings
• manage an outbreak of COVID-19.

The fact sheet is for all registered providers of NDIS supports and services, including those providing in home supports, as well as disability accommodation settings.

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.