Notifiable Diseases Policy

(W-14) Notifiable Diseases, Epidemic/Pandemic Policy

Policy Area	Governance and Operational Management – Work Health Safety – Infection Control
Policy Number	W 14
Version	1
Approval Date	01 November 2023
Review Date	31 October 2026
Scope	All employees
NDIS Practice Standards and Indicators.	Standard 2: Risk Management 2.2 Risks to participants, workers and the provider are identified and managed.

This Policy complies with the NDIS Practice Standards and the NDIS Act 2013.

Policy:

This Policy outlines the requirements outlined by NDIS, SA Health and The Department of Health and the procedures required to protect staff, participants and families.

Definitions:

Notifiable Disease – A notifiable disease is any disease that is required by law to be reported to government authorities

Epidemic – a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time.

Pandemic – an outbreak of a pandemic disease prevalent over a whole country or the world.

Responsibilities

Escapades Group Management will ensure that up-to-date relevant information in respect to Notifiable Diseases and Epidemic/Pandemic outbreaks are provided to everyone as needed. Management are responsible for reporting all suspected and/or confirmed cases to NDIS, SA Health and the Department of Health.

Employees must take reasonable care to protect their own health and safety and the health and safety of any other person.

Any person who knows they have or a participant has a Notifiable disease must avoid practices that are likely to put others or themselves at risk and report it to management immediately.

In the instance of a Notifiable Disease, Epidemic/Pandemic:

Hygiene practices with participants, families and Staff are required to be of a higher level and all work spaces cleaned, including vehicles used to transport participants. Particular care is to be taken in cleaning of all metal and hard services including benches, doors, handles and basins.
Families need to be closely communicated with, throughout the period. They also need to be informed of any changes made to the running of the service including closures and exclusion periods.
Staff, where possible, need to continue with daily routines adapting slightly to suit the situation.
A thorough clean must be made of work sites and vehicles used for transport participants at the end of each service during the infectious period.

If a suspected or confirmed case of a notifiable disease occurs in a service, such as Gastroenteritis, Measles, Influenzas, Covid-19 etc the CDCB (Communicable Disease Control Branch) must be informed by Management. Management will receive instruction from CDCB. If deemed necessary, Management may close a Service at any point for safety and infection control reasons.

In the instance that there is an Epidemic/Pandemic declared by the Premier or Department of Health.

If there is a confirmed case within a service it is to be reported to the Department of Health immediately. Instructions will be given at this time which will result in either a 24 – 48 hour close for cleaning or a 14 + days closure. Parents/Guardians will be contacted and asked to collect participants.

The Service may also close at any point during this time Management deems necessary.
If families choose to remove participants from a Service they will be required to provide notice according to their service agreement, unless other arrangements are made with the Director.
In the result of a closure, parents will not be charged for services that are not provided, and staff will be notified by management.

Communicable Disease Control Branch – 1300232272

Department of Health Switchboard – 02 6289 1555

Standard Precautions

Participants and staff will follow good hygiene practices, including Hand Hygiene and the use of Hand Sanitiser. Other practices used to reduce the spread of infection, may include social distancing. Employees should be responsible for safe working conditions within their control and must notify management immediately if an infectious status has been identified or suspected.

Additional Precautions

Additional Precautions apply to those situations where standard precautions may be insufficient to prevent transmission of infection, and are used in addition to standard precautions. Additional precautions must be used when individuals are either known or suspected to have an infectious condition and where there is a reasonable risk of passing the infection to others. These precautions may include Gloves, Face Masks and Gowns