Coronavirus (COVID-19) – updates and information

Last updated: 30 March 2020

Windaan recognises the significant impact the coronavirus (COVID-19) is having on communities in Australia and across the worlds. Our thoughts go out to those who have been directly impacted by this crisis.

At Windaan, the safety of clients and families is our most important priority, but we also recognise the importance of continuing to support everyone in the community during these challenging times.

With the ever-changing environment in relation to COVID-19, Windaan is closely monitoring updates from Federal and State Governments and will provide you with updates here on this page if there are any changes.

Operating hours and service delivery

Windaan remains open for business. Our sessions might be via:

• Home visits – Where we can provide service in the comfort of your home. We will make sure to practice sanitisation and good hygiene when we do so. Our sessions may be adjusted in response to the current environment, for instance, instead of our session being indoors we might move outdoors.
• Community Access – Where it is possible to do so safely we will continue to provide 1 on 1 support to engage in activities outside the home. This will be planned and conducted under the current health guidelines and in partnership with clients and families to ensure safety, trust and confidence in support. For instance, going for a bushwalk and taking photos or support to attend essential appointments.
• Telehealth (where recommended) – Where service is provided to you over the phone (e.g. phone call or using apps such as FaceTime) or online via a computer.

As schools are currently still open, we will be business as usual until advised otherwise.

Steps we are taking

You and your family’s health is most important. We are taking the necessary precautions to allow us to continue to operate safely, this includes:

• Giving clients and families choices of other ways to use our service such as Telehealth. Telehealth is where a phone or computer can be used for your session instead of face-to-face. We can use apps such as FaceTime, Skype, Zoom or just talking on the phone.
• For any face-to-face sessions, our staff will conduct an over the phone COVID-19 prevention screener to check everyone in the home and healthy.
• Providing our staff with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to use during sessions, where required.
• Staff are washing their hands more often, following the handwashing protocol (20-seconds with soap and/or sanitiser).
• Increase in cleaning of toys, therapy equipment and contact surfaces.
• Providing our staff with more training and information around COVID-19 to reduce the risk of infection.
• Following instructions from relevant NSW & Commonwealth Health agencies.

What you can do

The Department of Health has advised that people should practice good hygiene and social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

If you or your child is unwell and/or shows signs of being sick such as fever, cough, sneezing fits, runny nose or difficulty breathing, please cancel and your appointment. We advised that you seek early medical help.

If you have traveled internationally recently, we ask that you please contact us to reschedule or cancel your appointment(s). This is in line with the mandatory 14-day self-isolation period that is now in place for all international travel.

If you or your child is diagnosed with the virus, COVID-19, please contact Windaan immediately at 1800 WINDAAN (1800 946 322) or [email protected]. This will allow us to take the right steps to inform any person or service affected and the public health unit.

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) 

NDIS has implemented some changes in response to the current environment surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic:

Change in Pricing

• Effective 25 March 2020, price limits for some supports have been increased automatically by 10% temporarily. Some of the relevant support prices changes are as below:

NDIS Support	Support item number	Price (before 25 March 2020)	Price (after 25 March 2020)
Assessment, Recommendation, Therapy And/Or Training (Incl. AT) – Other Therapy	15_056_0128_1_3	193.99	213.39
Dietician Consultation And Diet Plan Development	12_025_0128_3_3	193.99	213.39
Assessment, Recommendation, Therapy And/Or Training (Incl. AT) – Psychology	15_054_0128_1_3	214.41	235.85

NDIS Cancellations

• Effective 25 March 2020, participants will be required to give 10 business days’ notice for a cancellation if they want to avoid paying the full fee for a cancelled service. Previously, participants were required to give two business days’ notice.
• From 30 March 2020, cancellations will be charged at 100% of the session price if the notice of cancellation is provided within less than 10 business days. Previously, cancellations were charged at 90% of the session price.

NDIS Plan Expiry/Reviews

• If participants have a scheduled plan review, the NDIA will contact the parent/carer by phone or email for the review.
• As part of your plan review process, participants can discuss having a new plan in place for up to 24 months.
• To ensure participant plans don’t end, on the day a plan is due to expire, the plan will be automatically be extended by 365 days.
• Participants who have plans that expire soon, do not need to do anything to have their plans automatically extended by 365 days.

NDIS COVID-19 Fact Sheet for Participants

• NDIS has released a NDIS COVID-19 Fact Sheet for Participants that explains what to expect from your NDIS providers, your rights, how to make a complaint about a provider, what resources are available from the NDIA, and where to find more information and resources about COVID-19. You can access it here.

Rescheduling or cancelling your appointment

If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please contact your Windaan support worker or therapist direct. Alternatively call 1800 WINDAAN (1800 946 322) or [email protected]. Note that the cancellation policy will apply.

Questions

Our professional team at Windaan are ready to answer any questions you may have at 1800 WINDAAN (1800 946 322) or [email protected].

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