Dear In relation to COVID-19 and further to my recent emails, I wanted to keep you informed of ongoing developments. 1. Practice guidelines As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, we understand some members are seeking further information about what services can be provided to clients at this time. It is clear that – based on the Department of Health advice - audiologists may continue to practice at this time if they choose to do so, and we encourage members to refer to the federal and state Department of Health guidelines on the services that can be delivered. However, members are encouraged to reduce face to face contact with clients where possible. We have included links on our website, along with the latest advice from the Hearing Services Program to provide further detail. As a professional body, Audiology Australia has never sought to regulate specific services or the practices of providers. We are responsible for representing individual audiologists and the profession of audiology, not the operational and business decisions of individual providers. We encourage you to follow the relevant guidelines from the Department of Health to make a decision about the services you provide to clients at this time. If you are an employee of a practice and you are concerned you are being asked to perform actions by an employer you consider unsafe, you should seek advice from state and federal bodies such as Fair Work Australia. Information and links are available on our website. If you have a question relating to ethical practice and the Code of Conduct, you can find support from our Ethics Review Committee. The ERC has compiled a series of Frequently Asked Questions that may assist members. You can download a copy of the FAQs here. Further information about the ERC is also available here. 2. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) We have received questions regarding Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and I wanted to provide you with an update on this. The Federal Government has outlined some information in relation to PPE here. As of 27 March, the highest priority of the Government is to ensure access to masks and other PPE for front line acute health service and primary care staff. This includes: public hospitals (supporting the states and territories), general practices, community pharmacies, and other settings where people are most likely to be presenting with COVID-19; and residential aged care facilities in the event of an outbreak. The Department of Health has also stated that if other health providers (e.g. audiologists) want access to PPE they will need to try and source it themselves on the private/commercial market where there is limited supply. Audiology Australia cannot procure PPE on behalf of members. We will continue to update you as to any developments on this matter as we receive further information from the Government. 3. Aon Insurance update Aon Insurance has provided members with information relating to COVID-19 and their insurance. The updates can be read here and here. It is worth noting that if you hold a Health Combined Professional Indemnity, Public and Products Liability policy with Aon, you will be covered even where your client claims to have COVID-19 provided you comply with public health laws and with government directives regarding the pandemic and take reasonable precautions to prevent injury/infection or property damage. 4. Internship provisions We have received feedback from some interns and supervisors regarding the completion of an internship if an intern needs to take an extended period of leave. To clarify this, interns can take up to four weeks in leave without it impacting on their completion date, but if this is more than four weeks, the leave won't count towards the internship program. Interns must complete their internship within three years so any break in their internship is acceptable so long as it is within the three year period and can be with the one employer or multiple employers. In light of the current circumstances, we have also sought to reduce the time before interns are eligible to practice teleaudiology to three months. We will recognise synchronous supervision either from the same location or via teleaudiology where the intern and supervisor are looking at the same client at the same time. The mode of supervision has to be noted in the internship portal. All interns and supervisors should have received an email this week with further information, but if you have any questions about the internship program, please contact our Membership Manager, Shudipta Saha at shudpita.saha@audiology.asn.au or call 03 9940 3900. 5. Webinar for Primary Care and Allied Health professionals The Department of Health has now held two webinars for Primary Care and Allied Health professionals. You can access the recordings here and here. 6. Infection control training The Australian Government is providing online infection control training here. Members who complete the course are eligible to claim 1 CPD point as a non-endorsed event in Category 3.2. 7. Ongoing information We are updating our website regularly with new information and resources, and will continue to update you via email. You are also welcome to call us at any time on 03 9940 3900 or email info@audiology.asn.au Thank you for your patience as we continue to seek further information for you at this time, and the commitment to your clients during this challenging time. Please stay safe and I'll be in touch with further information in the coming days. Yours sincerely Dr Tony Coles CEO Audiology Australia |