Home Support Screening Tools & Guidelines

If you are based in NSW, additional screening questions and exclusions apply as well as PPE requirements. Please click here for more detail. 

Further guidance can also be found here: COVID-19 screening and guidance for NSW Health outpatient and home visiting health services – COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

Always ensure that you follow the latest health requirements for masks in your area.

Based on the available health advice we strongly recommend, all Clients should be contacted by their Support Worker prior to their visit and before arrival at the home and asked the following questions:

1. 1. Have you, a person in your household, or a person who will be present in the home during service, had a fever (or a history of fever), respiratory symptoms (e.g. shortness of breath or a cough) or flu like illness in the past 14 days?
   2. Have you, a person in your household, or a person in the home been diagnosed with or had close contact* with a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 case in the last 14 days
   3. Have you, somebody you live with, or someone who will be present in the home returned from travel overseas in the last 14 days or are otherwise in self-isolation or self-quarantine?
   4. Have you been to any of the case locations identified by State and Territory Health Departments that require action?
      1. NSW Health Case Locations.
      2. Victorian Health Case Locations
      3. Queensland Health Case Locations
      4. Western Australia Health Case Locations
      5. Northern Territory Case Locations
      6. Tasmania Case Locations
      7. South Australia Case Locations
      8. ACT Case Locations

*Close contact includes face to face contact for at least 15 minutes, or being in the same closed space for at least 2 hours as someone who has tested positive when that person was infectious.

The Support Worker should also provide answers to the Client in response to each question.

If either party answers ‘Yes’ to questions 1, 2 or 3, face to face support should not be provided**. In the case of question 3 seek further advice from the Coronavirus Health Information Line 1800 020 080 if it relates to another person in a household. If a person has serious symptoms such as difficulty breathing, call 000 immediately for urgent medical help.

The Victorian Government has provided additional advice for Healthcare Workers and the use of PPE. If you are in Victoria, you should consider reading this resource: Guidance on the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for health workers.

** In accordance with Government and general health requirements, if there has been a COVID-19 diagnosis or flu symptoms present,medical clearance should be provided before engagement can recommence. A copy should be provided to the impacted Worker/Client, Mable  and related  Approved or Registered provider and/or Support Coordinator

If both parties answer ‘No’, service can proceed with the agreement of both parties.

2.1 If neither the individual nor the Support Worker have symptoms of COVID-19:

If screening questions have been answered indicating that service can proceed and neither the support worker nor the Client receiving care and support are unwell, then infection control procedures should be practiced, including good hygiene practices and social distancing measures.

This includes:

• Practise good hand and sneeze/cough hygiene
• Wash your hands frequently
• Stay more than 1.5m apart wherever possible

In addition, all workers in Greater Sydney (including Central Coast, Nepean Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Shellharbour) must wear a surgical mask when providing services in the home. See here for more details.

General interventions may include increased cleaning activity, particularly of surfaces people touch, and keeping the property properly ventilated by opening windows whenever safe and appropriate.

Consider providing as much support as possible outdoors at home with participants, practising social distancing if possible.

Also consider the ‘5 moments’ of hand hygiene before and after all Client contact are:

1. Before touching a Client
2. Before performing a procedure
3. After a procedure or exposure to body fluids/substances
4. After touching a Client
5. After touching Client’s surroundings

2.2 IF DURING A SUPPORT SESSION THE CLIENT OR A FAMILY MEMBER EXHIBITS SYMPTOMS:

• Cease face to face service safely and suggest the person self-isolate.
• Call the Coronavirus Health Information Line (1800 020 080) or if symptoms are severe, call 000.
• Notify the person’s emergency contact
• Notify the person’s Approved/Registered Provider or Support Coordinator if they have one.
• Notify Mable by phone on 1300 736 573 or email assist@mable.com.au.
• Call the Coronavirus Health Information Line (1800 020 080) and discuss if you can access priority COVID-19 testing and/or if you should self isolate.

In an emergency and/or if symptoms are severe always dial 000. In addition you should notify the following:

• Client’s emergency contact
• Department of Health Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080
• Contact Client’s Registered/Approved provider and Support Coordinator
• Contact Mable at assist@mable.com.au or on 1300 736 573