COVID-19 (Coronavirus) update

Current as of: Wednesday 13 May 2020

Rocky Bay are closely monitoring COVID-19 (Coronavirus) updates from the State and Federal Governments and have plans in place to minimise the risk of contamination within our Hubs and out in the community.

Our priority during this time is to protect our customers and staff, as well as their families. The management of the Coronavirus situation continues to be our main focus and we are reviewing our approach to best handle the changes being faced globally and nationally on a daily basis.

We have taken a range of advice from federal and state government departments, the National Disability Insurance Agency, internal experts and our peers, and this will continue to inform our decision-making process.

We are working hard to keep you informed of key decisions and changes as and when they happen. I appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate our way through these uncertain times.

You can keep up-to-date with daily snapshots from the WA State Government here​ (please click on the daily snapshot PDF link at the top of the page).​

HOW DOES THIS IMPACT YOU?

Current announcements as of Wednesday 29 April:

Previous announcements which are still in place:

• Essential Services Travel Card – As Government classified essential services providers, Rocky Bay staff have provided with an Essential Services Travel Card so they can travel freely and continue to provide customers with the services they need.
• Updating Customer Contact Details  – All staff have been requested to update all customer contact details (mobile phone and e-mail address) so Rocky Bay can move swiftly if there is a confirmed COVID-19 case within the Rocky Bay family. Staff are making it a priority to ensure that all customer mobile numbers and/or e-mails are correctly recorded in the customer database.
• Customer notification of a test – Staff are advising customers of their responsibility to let Rocky Bay staff know if they have been tested for coronavirus. This is necessary so we can move immediately to track and trace movement of the virus if necessary.
• Social distancing – what this means for you and your Rocky Bay team:
  * Maintain a 1.5 metre distance from others at all times, except where it is otherwise necessary in order to receive your supports
  * Social distancing applies to all people attending an appointment or who are in the home when we are providing a service
  * Make sure we have at least four square metres per person in each room where we are providing services. This may mean less people may be able to be in the room than normal.
• We are developing alternatives to our services so we are ready to respond to any further restrictions that may impact how we can deliver your supports. We will inform you if any of your services are affected.
• Pottery and Cooking Groups will be suspended until further notice. We will let you know when they are up and running again
• As an essential community service, Rocky Bay is are here to support you during this time.
• We are currently looking at how services may be impacted over the coming weeks and are making plans to ensure the effects are minimised for our customers, while maintaining the safety of customers and staff as our primary consideration.
• While we will do what we can, we are also mindful we may need put in place temporary closures as things change. We hope you will understand this will only be done when absolutely necessary for your safety and we will be in touch with full details as any decisions are made.
• With the seriousness of the virus, we must ask that if you or someone you have been in close contact with have travelled interstate or internationally, or is feeling unwell, that you contact Rocky Bay to suspend any upcoming appointments for a period of 14 days. We will also be asking you some questions prior to every appointment to make sure we know if your situation has changed and can take the relevant precautions.
• Following the recent announcement around social gathering restrictions, Rocky Bay staff will no longer attend places of mass gathering, such as concerts, festivals and sporting events. We are also starting to wind back visits to places such as cinemas, shopping centres and public transport where many people may be grouped in a space. We will work with you to determine what alternatives might look like.
• We also understand some schools are no longer allowing therapy to be conducted on school premises. We are determining the best ways to minimise the disruption to our customers and are identifying alternative solutions to keep therapy services running, such as extended hours of service. Our Clinical team will be in touch to outline the possibilities if this impacts you.
• We have made the decision to suspend all activities that are held by external groups in Rocky Bay facilities, such as the Dance Inclusion disco, pool and gym hire. If you attend these external events, the organisers will contact you directly with further details.
• If you have a family member in one of our Supported Accommodation homes we will contact you directly about our preparations and procedures. We know this will be an especially difficult time for you and your family and I want you to know we are prioritising the health and safety of our residents.

WHAT WE ASK OF YOU

• Customers who are receiving services in their home are requested to clean their environment and wipe down surfaces, as well as follow hand hygiene practices, prior to a Rocky Bay employee entering their home.
• Hand hygiene is still recognised as the primary method of protecting yourself and your family. You can find details on how to do this most effectively at HealthyWA.
• The most important thing we can encourage you to do at this time is to remain calm and follow government advice to protect your loved ones.

WHAT WE ARE DOING

To keep our customers and staff safe, we are:

• regularly cleaning all equipment and surfaces
• practicing good hand hygiene
• practicing social distancing
• reducing the number of visitors and staff accessing our Hubs.

KEEPING INFORMED

We ask that you please regularly visit Rocky Bay’s website for the most recent updates.

Website, email and SMS are the quickest and easiest way for us to inform you of any important changes to services, programs or closures. To update your contact details to include one or all of these methods of communication, or to make sure your details are up-to-date, please call our Customer Engagement team on 9383 6113 or email [email protected] with your updated details.

We understand there is a lot of confusion, uncertainty and concern in the community around COVID-19 and we want you to know we are here to support you during this time.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact our contact our COVID-19 hotline on 6282 1919 or email [email protected]

RESOURCES

• Please keep an eye on the Department of Health website for up-to-date information on COVID-19
• For Federal Government updates, click here
• For WA State Government updates, click here
• NDIS Coronavirus information for participants and providers can be found here
• Life Supports counsellors and psychologists bulk-billed online and phone counselling services – click here
• COVID-19 resources are available in different languages here
• If you’re looking for advice on how to talk to your children about Coronavirus, click here
• For mental health support, visit R U OK?, Headspace or Beyond Blue
• For Federal Government finanical support and services information, click here