This advice is for ATMS members in Queensland and is an update to that published Friday 27 March 2020.
Overnight the Queensland Government updated the Non-essential business, activity and undertaking Closure Direction (No.6), effective from 21 April 2020.
It is now reasonable to conclude from this direction that the view that broadly defined health services can operate in appropriate clinic settings is to be preferred over the policing of restrictions on premises and buildings.
The new rules specifically authorise a return to practice for a “qualified massage therapist” as defined.
Our overview of practice in Queensland can now be summarised in 3 broad groupings.
At a national level, AHPRA registered practitioners continue to be viewed as essential services: for ATMS that covers Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, Chiropractic or Osteopathy. These services have never been restricted.
Remedial massage: under the new Queensland rules “massage parlours” remain restricted with a specific exemption for “massage therapy for the management and prevention of a disease, injury or condition, provided by a qualified massage therapist, with social distancing observed to the extent possible.” A qualified massage therapist is defined very precisely by the rules – the definition is reproduced below. It is now clear that remedial massage in a clinic setting is no longer restricted.
Other bodywork modalities: The new rules can now be interpreted that these modalities are health services and are not restricted in an appropriate clinic setting.
The main exemptions for this are the specific restrictions that remain on “massage parlours” under the label “personal care services”. There are also continuing restrictions on “gyms, health clubs, fitness centres, yoga, barre and spin facilities, saunas, bathhouses and wellness centres” as “Leisure and recreation”.
Ingestive modalities: The new rules can now be interpreted that these modalities are health services and are not restricted in an appropriate clinic setting. Audio-visual consultations in accordance with the ATMS policy continue to be an excellent alternative to face-to-face consultations.
The question of continuing or returning to practice in Queensland is now less about government restriction and more about your decision of risk and proper processes to manage that risk.
ATMS recommends all services that continue to operate implement measures to support social distancing (e.g. spacing staff out on the floor wherever possible at a minimum distance of 1.5 metres, enabling as many staff as possible for the safe running of the facility to work from home) and infection control procedures (e.g. ensuring hand sanitiser or hand washing facilities are freely available, increasing routine cleaning or surfaces including computers, door handles etc, having strict processes for ensuring unwell staff do not attend the workplace, displaying signage to remind employees of hand hygiene and cough etiquette including in indoor areas).
ATMS also recommends all services implement rigorous processes to screen clients for symptoms or contact with a known case of COVID-19 prior to clients attending for services.
The full details of the Queensland rules are here:
https://www.health.qld.gov.au/system-governance/legislation/cho-public-health-directions-under-expanded-public-health-act-powers/non-essential-business-closure-direction?fbclid=IwAR10Cyeo5zSmgqO3RD_dPdzhqaqgRTwLPV1jzLOPX--a8_DoR9_N815GwsY
The relevant extracts for Queensland practitioners are as follows.
Non-essential business, activity and undertaking Closure Direction (No.6)
Effective 21 April 2020
For the purposes of this Public Health Direction:
Qualified massage therapist means a massage therapist who:
- holds a relevant qualification (minimum AQF level 5 (Diploma)) under the Australian Qualifications Framework;
Example – Diploma of Remedial Massage or Bachelor of Health Science (Myotherapy)
- is a member of a professional organisation within the meaning of section 10 of the Private Health Insurance (Accreditation) Rules 2011 (Cwlth); and
- holds approved provider status with one or more private health funds.
Non-essential business, activity, or undertaking means a business, activity, undertaking, premises or place listed in Column 1 unless the exception listed in Column 2 applies:
| Beauty and personal care services |
| Hairdressers and barber shops |
Can remain operational with no more than one person per 4 square metres, with social distancing observed to the extent possible. |
| Beauty therapy, tanning, waxing and nail salons, and tattoo parlours |
|
| Spas and massage parlours |
Health services provided by health practitioners registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, with social distancing observed to the extent possible.
Example – physiotherapists and chiropractors
Massage therapy for the management or prevention of a disease, injury or condition, provided by a qualified massage therapist, with social distancing observed to the extent possible. |
| Leisure and recreation |
| Boot camps, personal training |
Limited to 2 people including the personal trainer, with social distancing observed. |
| Indoor sporting centres, including gyms, health clubs, fitness centres, yoga, barre and spin facilities, saunas, bathhouses and wellness centres |
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