This advice is for ATMS members in South Australia.
Over the Anzac Day weekend the South Australian Government updated the COVID-19 FAQ’s in relation to the Emergency Management (Non-essential business and Other Activities No 4) (COVID-19) Direction 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 certain premises and buildings.
The new rules specifically authorise a return to practice for a “remedial or therapeutic massage and myotherapy services provided in a clinical or health care setting.”
COVID-19 FAQ link is here:
https://www.covid-19.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/178988/FAQ-Emergency-Management-Non-Essential-Business-and-Other-Activities-No-4-COVID-19-Direction-2020-.pdf
Our overview of practice in South Australia 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: The new South Australian rules now state “Massage parlours are closed. However, remedial or therapeutic massage and myotherapy services provided in a clinical or health care setting may continue.” It is now clear that remedial massage in a clinic setting is no longer restricted.
Other bodywork modalities: The new rules can now be broadly 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 “defined premises” that must remain closed. These defined premises are outlined below.
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 South Australia 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 of 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 South Australian defined premises are here:
https://www.covid-19.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/167355/Signed-Direction-Non-Essential-Business-and-Other-Gatherings-no-4.pdf
The relevant extracts for South Australian practitioners are as follows.
Emergency Management (Non-Essential Business and Other Activities No 4) (COVID-19) Direction 2020 Effective 15 April 2020
defined premises means any of the following:
(v) beauty salons, nail salons and tattoo parlours and other premises at which beauty therapy and tanning, waxing, piercing or body modification services are provided;
(w) saunas, bathhouses, wellness centres, spas and massage parlours;
Direction
(a) a person who owns, controls or operates a defined premises must close those premises and keep those premises closed in so far as it is necessary to prohibit access to consumers or members of the public; |
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