An update has been made to the Residential Aged Care Facilities Direction in South Australia.
The Emergency Management (Residential Aged Care Facilities No 6) (COVID-19) Direction 2020 has been revoked and replaced by the Emergency Management (Residential Aged Care Facilities No 7) (COVID-19) Direction 2020. This new Direction came into effect at 0001 hrs on Friday 14 August 2020.
The Direction now states a person must not enter a Residential Aged Care Facility if they have undertaken a COVID-19 test and are awaiting the test result.
Residents of facilities will need to be isolated following a COVID-19 test until the result of their test is known.
Operators of Residential Aged Care Facilities will be required to submit a COVID-19 Infection Control Plan relating to all communal areas by 27 August, 2020. This will then need to be approved by the Department for Health and Wellbeing (SA)
The Direction requires changes to the requirements of people providing care at facilities (whether as an employee or contractor):
– A personal care worker cannot provide personal care at one care facility within 14 days of providing personal care at a different facility;
– A person providing nursing, medical, allied health or personal care services to residents must wear appropriate personal protective equipment, if they are within 1.5 metres from the resident, whilst providing care;
– All people providing care or nursing care to residents must complete COVID-19 Infection Control Training determined by the Department for Health and Wellbeing (SA) before entering/remaining at the facility. Records of this training must be provided to an authorised officer on request; and
– Employees, contractors and volunteers must notify the care facility of any additional places of employment, and if they become aware of a COVID-19 case at another of their places of employment.
All existing directions, frequently asked questions and other information can be found here: https://www.covid-19.sa.gov.au/emergency-declarations
If you require further information you can call the SA COVID-19 Information Line on 1800 253 787 between the hours of 9am to 5pm 7 days per week or go to the SA Health website at www.sahealth.sa.gov.au or www.sa.gov.au/covid-19
