COVID Safe Plan
Policy Statement
At Evolve Psychology Group we are committed to the health and well-being of our staff, clients and the community; as well as ensuring that we meet our legal obligations under State and Federal Legislation. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic we are currently under the Directions imposed by the Emergency Management Act 2005.
The purpose of the COVID Safe Plan is to help ensure that at Evolve Psychology Group actively mitigate the risks of COVID-19 in line with the best available health advice. Our COVID Safe Plan and policies take into account how we continue to provide mental health services to clients, whilst appropriately managing the risk of harm to our staff, and all clients and visitors to our service. This includes the delicate balancing of risk to staff and clients, and financial risk to our business to ensure that we can continue to service our community.
This Plan has been developed and implemented in response to the WA Government announcement for the opening of the WA borders. While some of the measures below are already in place, this plan will be implemented in its entirety from 30th April 2022. The Plan will be reviewed regularly given the continuing changing environment of the pandemic, and updated as necessary. At times changes may need to be implemented with very little notice, and prior to formal changes being made to the Plan given the nature of the emergency health situation. We appreciate the understanding of staff and clients in this regard, due to the difficulty for a small busy practice to respond immediately to Government directives at short notice.
About COVID-19
COVID-19 can be spread from person-to-person through close contact and droplets including:
direct contact with infected people;
contact with droplets from an infected person’s cough or sneeze; and
touching contaminated objects or surfaces (like doorknobs or tables) and then touching your mouth or face.
There is increasing evidence to suggest COVID-19 can spread through aerosol transmission, and specifically in poorly ventilated or crowded indoor settings where individuals likely spend longer periods of time.
As COVID-19 can be spread from person-to-person through coughing, sneezing, touching contaminated surfaces, and close contact with infected individuals, there is a need for businesses to remain vigilant with cleaning and sanitising regimes and taking extra care with maintaining and promoting hygiene practises throughout business operations.
The most effective measures are good hygiene practices, additional sanitisation regimes, physical distancing, staying home if unwell, getting tested if you have symptoms consistent with COVID-19, and getting vaccinated.
COVID-19 Safety
All people and premises are required to mitigate the risks of COVID-19. To play our part in mitigating risk at Evolve Psychology Group we:
Encourage physical distancing, where possible;
Maintain hygiene and frequent cleaning;
Advise staff and clients to remain home if unwell;
Offer Telehealth services for circumstances clients and/or staff are unwell, need to isolate/
quarantine, and/or where there are lockdowns.
COVID Safety Plan:
1. Physical Distancing
Physical distancing is one of the most effective methods of reducing the spread of viruses. The more space between you and others, the harder it is for the virus to spread. We encourage clients and staff to maintain separation between themselves and other staff/clients as per the current Government directives on physical distancing. Signs about physical distancing have been placed at the entrance to the office.
Psychologists do not work across different locations – we have the one location (with two offices) at 21 Napoleon Promenade, VASSE.
Waiting room chairs will be separated by at least 1.5 metres, psychologists have their own consulting rooms, and psychologists will remain at least 1.5 metres apart in the consulting room (with the exception of any procedures requiring closer contact, for example, attaching bio-feedback equipment, and EMDR). However, for EMDR processing it is stronger recommended that psychologists utilise other methods of bilateral stimulation (BLS) other than eye movements which requires being up close for extended periods of time.
Where psychologists share an office they will disinfect shared equipment e.g., desks, laptops, phones etc, at the end of each shift/day.
COVID-Safe signs about physical distancing have been placed around the building, including the kitchen. Psychologists have been advised to take their tea, coffee, or meals back to their rooms, and not to congregate in the kitchen/meals area.
The business is adhering to contactless deliveries when possible. Staff and psychologists have been advised to maintain a distance of 1.5 metres or greater from delivery persons, and to wash their hands thoroughly after receiving a delivery.
Managing People Entering/Exiting the Premises
Clearly visible signage is provided in the window at the front of our office to provide instruction to clients entering the premises. Queues should be avoided as much as possible.
Please do not queue at the reception desk when checking in or settling payment and rebooking. Please stand back and wait in our waiting area (which has been moved to the hallway) while respecting physical distancing requirements. Clients are encouraged to pay for their session prior to going in to see their psychologist where possible to avoid queues at the front desk. Clients also have the option of paying over the phone prior to their appointment.
Clients will be required not to enter the premises if they have flu-like symptoms. Clients who are unwell are advised to stay home and contact our services to access Telehealth Services if they are well enough to attend a session. If they are too unwell to attend a session, they are required to contact our reception to reschedule their appointment. Where appointments are cancelled outside the requirements of our cancellation policy normal late cancellation fees will apply.
Telehealth
Telehealth appointments will be available to clients if they are unwell or advised to stay home, if they are well enough to attend a session. Telehealth appointments will be made available if your psychologist is advised to stay home and is well enough to continue working. Face to face appointments will continue. We will be monitoring the situation with the spread of COVID-19 and will respond to a worsening situation accordingly. Therefore, risk will continue to be monitored and assessed. We will respond to risk mitigation by moving fully to telehealth should the situation demand it.
Clients will be provided a Client Information – Telehealth sheet when accessing Telehealth. This information sheet is also available on our website at https://www.evolvepsychologygroup.com.au/ .
2. Cleaning and Hygiene
Hand sanitiser is made available to all staff and clients in the waiting areas provided, and at the reception area. Hand soap and paper towel are provided in each bathroom, together with pictorial instructions of proper hand hygiene technique.
Disinfectant spray and wipes are also available to clean common areas such as the reception desk, EFTPOS machine, door handles and consulting rooms between sessions. Administration staff have been instructed to wipe telephones, reception desks, and EFTPOS machines frequently throughout the day.
All consulting rooms have been fitted with air purifiers with HEPA filters to provide adequate ventilation and air cleansing. The air conditioning provides for circulation of external airflow rather than recirculating air.
3. Training and Education
Our management team continue to receive regular updates from the WA Government, Federal Government, and professional peak and regulatory bodies and follow these directions. We will respond to urgent and mandatory requirements immediately, and endeavour to update our policies and procedures accordingly within a reasonable timeframe given the size and capacity of our small enterprise.
Staff have received training in infection control, handwashing techniques, and correctly fitting masks.
All updated policies and procedures are circulated to all staff immediately, and staff are required to confirm that they have read and understood the requirements within them.
Additional training is provided to staff on a needs basis.
NOTE: this Policy is to be read in conjunction with our Occupational Health and Safety Policy, Telehealth Policy, and Client Information – Telehealth procedure. To ensure that new clients who will be accessing telehealth have the required information on steps to access telehealth administration staff will provide the Client Information sheet via email to clients when they book their first appointment. This information sheet can also be located on our website at https://www.evolvepsychologygroup.com.au/telehealth-services-during-covid19-pandemic
