As of 18 October 2021

Staff

Exclude staff who:

• are a close or casual contact of COVID-19, prior to completing their isolation and testing requirements. (Staff who are casual contacts are no longer excluded from entry for 14 days from their date of exposure, however should be risk assessed by the facility before returning to work.)
• who have not received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by 9am 25 October 2021
• have been to any close or casual locations in NSW OR Victoria, Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, Tasmania OR New Zealand in the last 14 days;
• have been in New Zealand in the last 14 days
• have COVID-19 symptoms
• live in a household with a person who is currently self-isolating.
• are waiting for a COVID-19 test result (except for surveillance purposes)

All home care service providers must maintain vigilance to prevent the introduction of COVID-19. Until further notice all staff in NSW must wear a surgical mask .

Please refer to the NSW Government website for further information about the current rules and restrictions in NSW, including testing requirements and permits for workers.

Residents

All residents living in all areas of NSW are urged to wear a mask whist a home care worker is in attendance where possible.

COVID-19 safety measures for home care service providers

•  Minimise staff working across multiple settings (such as in home and residential care). Where ceasing staff movement across settings is not practical, additional measures should be put in place, such as maintaining records of staff and work locations and increasing use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
• Ensure staff actively ask clients about symptoms on arrival. If staff become aware of a client with symptoms, that client should be isolated from others and arrangements made for COVID-19 testing.

Mandatory mask wearing

• Under the Public Health (COVID-19 General) Order 2021 masks are mandatory for everyone in NSW while in an indoor location, unless the person is in the person's place of residence. This includes waiting for or using public transport.
• A staff member or resident may remove their mask:
• while communicating with another person who is deaf or hard of hearing
• if wearing a mask creates a risk to health and safety
• where clear enunciation or visibility of your mouth is essential
• Anyone removing a mask for one of these reasons should maintain 1.5m distance from others wherever possible.
• If leaving the home with a home care worker, anyone with a physical or mental health illness or condition, or disability, that makes wearing a mask unsuitable is not required to wear a mask. For example, someone with a skin condition, an intellectual disability, autism or trauma, you are not required to wear a mask.
• If a person cannot wear a face mask because of a disability, physical or mental health illness or condition, they must carry either
• a medical certificate or letter signed by a registered health practitioner (such as a doctor) or a registered NDIS provider or
• a statutory declaration.

Additional advice for all home care service providers

• The Commonwealth Department of Health has issued a Guide for Home Care Providers to assist staff in reducing the risk of COVID-19.
• More detailed advice for services who provide care in the home is at Guidance for risk screening and assessment for home visiting health services.
• Please seek the advice of your local NSW Health Public Health Unit if you are in doubt about how to appropriately mitigate risk when providing home care services on 1300 066 055.
• For more information about NDIS-related issues, including any funding issues relating to compliance with these measures for NDIS participants, contact:
• NDIA on 1800 800 110 or via NDIA
• NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission on 180 035 544 or via NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
• Ministry of Health on 9391 9858 or via email MOH-NDIS@health.nsw.gov.au.