COVID-19 Response

Rationale

HepatitisWA requires a clear plan for operational contingency during the expected public health emergency.  Staff will be concerned about what supports are in place to keep them safe and mitigate potential lost income due to illness.

HepatitisWA is considered an essential service and is required to continue to provide services to the community until notified by funding bodies.

Execution

This plan will be actioned at the discretion of the Chief Executive Officer in response to extended community spread.  All staff will adopt the plan until further notice. 

Return to normal operations will be at the discretion of the Chief Executive Officer.

Intention of this plan is to reduce the risk of all staff contracting COVID-19 at the same time.  A two team system provides opportunity for one team to continue services whilst the other team is isolated or ill.  Once all staff have contracted and recovered from COVID-19, or the risk of infection is greatly reduced, the teams can be dissolved.

Operational Planning

1.     All staff are to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and comply with mask mandates and hygiene expectations. 

2.     When initiated, office based staff will form two teams:

3.     Teams will rotate between Working from Home arrangements and office attendance on a 3 day rotation.  Staff rostered days remain unchanged, however the location of your work day will be in accordance with your allocated team rotation. Juggling of flexible work days can only occur within your team roster. Staff are not to work across both teams unless requested by the Chief Executive Officer in special circumstances.

4.     Team 1 – Matt, Amanda V, Pete, Kat, Amanda S, Shafeeqah (Virginia stand-by) / Team 2 – Ange, Brent, Jacqueline, Ali, Donna, Eve (Max stand-by), Natassha (see PDF for full timetable)

5.     Volunteers willing to come in during this plan will be allocated to a team.

6.     All operations will continue in the best version the organisation can manage within the context of restrictions and safety. NSP and Deen Clinic are essential services and will operate 0900 – 1500 for the duration of this plan.

7.     Our Nurse Practitioner, Adrian, will continue to deliver clinic services each Wednesday and Friday, and will be starting each day with a Rapid Antigen Test to confirm his COVID-19 negative status.  Patients will be checked for vaccination status, with Adrian only seeing vaccinated and asymptomatic patients face to face. Patients not up to date with vaccinations or displaying symptoms of illness will be escorted into the treatment room for a RAT before seeing the nurse practitioner or will be seen via telehealth.

8.     All masks, PPE, deep cleaning, and other protective conditions will be followed to keep staff safe. Team members not part of the NSP or clinic team are expected to provide support to frontline staff in addition to working on their own projects. 

9.     Face to Face session delivery will be suspended for a time period to be advised.
If any venues/partnership organisations are still wanting sessions, our policy is to offer virtual sessions via zoom or another reliable platform.  Facilitators are not to attend on site sessions until authorised by the HepatitisWA Chief Executive Officer.

10.  Teams working from home will be expected to participate in daily zoom meetings and check in with management with daily progress updates for their projects. Managers will work with staff to ensure they are using their time to achieve valuable project outcomes.  This is an opportunity for innovation and updating resources and processes, create new leads, and expand your outcomes.

11.  It is expected that all public events during this time will be cancelled.  If an event is still scheduled to run, all options will be reviewed and a decision will be made on how HepatitisWA might be able to participate.

Staff Support

Staff will be expected to work from home or the office unless unwell.  In the event of sickness (physical and/or emotional) staff will be able to take personal leave or annual leave.  Staff in isolation due to infection or close contact regulations will still be able to work from home. 

Attached is advice from Employsure on organisation’s responsibilities for supporting staff through this public health emergency and similar situations.

Signed:   

Brent Bell, Chief Executive Officer

HepatitisWA

11th February 2022