Your health and safety, and that of our clients and staff, remains our priority. We continue to closely monitor the guidance of the Australian Department of Health and the states in which we operate, and follow the strictest hygiene and safety protocols.

We are also in regular personal contact with our clients, and provide them with up-to-date advice and information, as well as reminders to practice good hygiene, social distancing and to be tested.

UPDATE FOR PROVIDERS WHO SERVICE CLIENTS IN VICTORIA LOCKDOWN AREAS

With immediate effect, care workers who work in residential facilities or provide in-home care across Victoria’s lock down zones are required to wear surgical masks. See guidance here: www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-greg-hunt-mp/media/face-masks-required-for-aged-care-workers-in-melbourne-hotspots

We are working with the National Stockpile to find ways to obtain surgical, single-use, masks for providers who are servicing clients in lock down areas.  A simple solution here is not yet forthcoming.  Providers are required to continue to source their own masks.

In the meantime, we are implementing the following for services delivered to clients in lock down areas:

• Effective for services delivered from 16/7/2020, services that are performed in the home (e.g. Domestic Assistance, Personal Care) or where close support to a client is required (e.g. Social Support shopping), will attract a COVID mask supplement of $1.00 (including GST) which Care Connect will add to your invoice.
• There is no need to invoice us, as this supplement will be added automatically.  The cost of the supplement has been determined by a review of pricing in the market, and is considered a fair and reasonable cost to pay for a mask.  It will be applied only once to the service no matter the duration of that service or how many care workers attend.   Where there is a service where use of PPE is current practice (pre-COVID) e.g. Nursing Services, the supplement will not apply.

If you are already receiving stock free of charge from the National Stockpile or any other source, this supplement will not apply.  Please advise urgently to procurement@careconnect.org.au.

Implementation of this process will initially be handled manually, as Care Connect designs a more efficient way to manage this supplement.

Care Connect continues to review the supply situation on masks and other PPE, and reserves the right to amend this arrangement at any time.

Thank you once again for your support and cooperation as we navigate the ever-changing landscape of COVID-19.

Yours sincerely,

Eileen Keane

General Manager, Service Delivery Partnerships