Clients

Does the plan consider?

• Management and acknowledgement of fear and anxiety experienced by clients.
• Impacts on vulnerable populations (pregnant women, elderly, people with comorbidities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, carers)
• Any special requirements related to the age, demographics and comorbidity of your clients
• Ability for clients to access treatment service, should service closure occur.
• Whether clients can access take home naloxone at community pharmacies (For a list of services supplying take home naloxone)
• Communication about isolation and treatment access should an individual become infected or be at risk of infection (i.e. through travel or contact with a known case).
• Access and distribution of up-to-date information about COVID-19.

Staffing, education and training

Does the plan consider?

• Management and acknowledgement of fear and anxiety experienced by staff.
• Monitoring staff wellbeing and fatigue if extended working hours are required.
• Isolation or segregation of staff (if required) and what this means for service capacity.
• Training and education in infection control measures such as hand hygiene and use of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE).
• The criticality of your service/s. You can seek this information by contacting your local Emergency Response Unit.
• Distribution and access of up-to-date information about COVID-19.

Resources, service impacts and logistical impacts

Does the plan consider?

• Infection control and cleaning procedures such as:
  • Client and/or staff isolation,
  • Increase surface cleaning and disinfecting,
  • Increase supply, use and stock of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE),
  • Ensure normal infectious clinical waste processes and management,
• Ensure normal linen management processes.
• Medication supply and delivery options.
  • Consider impact of supply chains and other logistics.
• Use of alternate modes of service delivery, where possible and appropriate:
  • Face-to-face, telehealth, digital.
• Impact of community service closures:
  • GPs and pharmacies
• Emergency care for high risk clients.
• The management of OTP should nurses be unable to work.
• Identifying the key contacts within your LHD and community.

Infection prevention and control examples

Refer to NSW Health website for updated infection control measures

• Undertake routine transmission based precautions
• Enhance hand hygiene by washing hands via hand rub technique with soap and water and/or alcohol-based hand rub
• Encourage appropriate respiratory etiquette for example coughing and sneezing into elbow

Keep yourself updated on COVID-19 by visiting the NSW Health website.​