Since our last newsletter, we have seen the opening of our borders. As predicted by health officials, the Omicron variant has continued to spread across Western Australia, and as an organisation and individuals, we must adapt and learn to live with COVID-19 in our communities.
At the bottom of this newsletter, we have reiterated information and advice on the practical steps you can take now to prepare for high cases of COVID-19 in the community.
If you require any further information, feel free to contact our Regional Managers, Teeny or Navneet.
We are here to support you.
Staying safe together,
Dawn McAleenan - CEO
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Essential Personnel recently undertook an audit to ensure our NDIS services comply with the NDIS Practice Standards. The audit is undertaken by an independent organisation to check we are delivering high quality and safe services.
Guess what, we passed with flying colours!
We would like to say a special thank you to all our customers, carers and family members that took part in this audit by speaking with the auditors and letting them know what you think about the services you receive.
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“Essential Personnel is committed to continuous quality improvement through the active involvement of people with a disability, family members, carers, staff and other stakeholders to provide ongoing feedback and to know their feedback has improved services delivery”
- GCC Audit
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This is one of our customers, Ben, who was recently welcomed into the Kellerberrin Men's Shed as a new member!
Ben enjoyed being able to use his own welder and even taught his Support Worker how to weld.
Ben loves the hands-on experience and the new community he's a part of!
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Your care and support is our number one priority and while the current COVID environment can make things a little more challenging, we're here for you. We want to make sure you feel safe and heard.
We also want to make sure you're taking care of you.
Your well-being and mental health is important to us. We all need to take care of ourselves during this time. Please take time for yourself, check in on your loved ones, and stay connected to those you care about.
Here are some helpful resources:
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Preparing your supports
It's time now to prepare for how we can support you if you are exposed to COVID-19, if you get sick or if your usual support staff are unwell. You may have already been contacted by us, if not, we will be contacting you soon to discuss these plans and what support we can provide in the different circumstances.
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COVID-19 kits
One practical step you can take today in preparing to live with the virus is to prepare your COVID-19 kit. Your kit could include;
- Thermometer
- Pain-relief medicine
- Your usual medications
- Treatment for dehydration
- Disposable surgical masks
- Hand sanitiser and soap
- Cleaning products and disposable gloves
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Plan ahead
It's also important to consider what support you may need if you were taken sick and unable to go out. These supports may include;
- Phone numbers of your next of kin and people that you can call if you need help
- Plan for how you would get food and other essential items if you are too sick, this could include a support person that would be willing to go shopping for you.
- Plan for your pets. If you are unwell or need to go to hospital, identify who can look after them
- Plan activities that you can do if you are at home and unable to go out.
- Get vaccinated
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Vaccinations
The COVID-19 vaccine is an important measure to keep WA safe and healthy, and will help protect yourself, your family and the community. If you have not had all three vaccinations, please let your support worker know and we can help you with the arrangements.
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All our staff are double vaccinated and have received their third booster when eligible. Our staff have done this as they are committed to providing the safest support for you and your community.
All contractors and visitors to our centres are required to be vaccinated.
We may also ask you about your vaccination status, this is because it will help us to provide the safest support for you given your circumstances, goals and needs. Your vaccination status will also enable us to know where we can support you, as the WA Government now requires proof of vaccination to enter several high-risk venues. You do not have to provide this information to us, but for those that do, you can be assured your information will be stored appropriately to ensure privacy is upheld. We are also asked by the government to provide the number of customers that are vaccinated, when we do this, we do not disclose your personal information such as name, address, phone number etc.
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When out on supports, you may be required to provide evidence of your vaccination depending on the type of venue. The list of current venues are here. The evidence you need can be paper or digital and further guidance on how to do this can be found here.
If you are to enter a work location of Essential Personnel, you will need to be vaccinated and you will need to show your vaccination certificate.
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With the high number of COVID cases in Western Australia, the WA Government now supports the use of Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT). Essential Personnel has provided RAT tests to colleagues to use in line with government guidelines. Anyone who tests positive using an at-home RAT is required to report it.
Did you know, you can now get 15 free RATs from the WA government? They can be sent directly to your address at no cost to you.
If you have Home Care Package (HCP) or NDIS funding, you can be reimbursed for the costs of Personal Protective Equipment, including RAT tests. All you need to do is provide the receipt to your Service Coordinator for any purchases from the 1 March 2022.
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Staff at Essential Personnel
COVID-19 will likely result in changes to your support from time to time. We have planned various scenarios and we have in place strategies that we believe will minimise the impact of these changes as much as possible. Although, we cannot avoid them completely. For example, your usual support worker may become sick and will be unable to provide supports whilst isolating. However, we are committed to ensuring all customers will continue to receive critical supports.
All our staff have been provided with Protective equipment, such as face masks, gloves and hand sanitisers. These will be used as required by WA Government requirements and per our Essential Personnel COVID-19 Response Plan. This is to ensure you are supported in a safe environment and our workers reduce the spread of the virus.
All our staff have undergone training in infection control and infection control in a community setting. This means they understand how to reduce risks of infection and can actively promote a safe working environment.
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Thanks for being a part of this great
Essential Personnel community!
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