LEISURE NETWORKS COVID-19 Update – 17 September 2020
Keeping you healthy and safe
As of 11.59pm LAST NIGHT (Wednesday 16th September 2020) regional Victoria COVID-19 restrictions were reduced. Regional Victoria met the “trigger” point to move to the third step – with a 14 day average of less than five cases and no mystery cases.
Whilst this is a fantastic way forward it is still important to remember to continue to adhere to the restrictions that are still in place particularly with the September school holidays upon us.
The health and safety of our customers, staff and communities is our priority and is the single most important issue when making decisions at Leisure Networks.
Stage 4 Restrictions – Metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire
In response to the current levels of transmission of COVID-19, Stage 4 Stay at Home restrictions are to continue in metro Melbourne and Mitchell Shire.
Stage 4 means there are only 4 reasons to leave home in a lockdown area:
- Going to work or school if you can’t do from home
- Care or care giving;
- Daily exercise within 5km of your home for a maximum of 2 hours per day.
- Buying food and other essentials within 5km of your home or nearest available supermarket, limited to one person per household, once per day.
A curfew will apply from 9pm to 5am each night, with exceptions for work or medical care and caregiving.
Stage 3 Restrictions – Regional Victoria
Moving from the second step to the third step is probably the most significant step we take in Victoria’s road map. The reduced restrictions for Regional Victoria has NOT changed the following:
- Everyone must wear a face mask
- Support Workers will continue wearing eye protection (safety glasses, goggles or face shield) as this protects you and your community by providing an additional physical barrier to coronavirus (COVID-19).
- Keeping 1.5 metres apart from others and washing your hands as there are still the best defences against coronavirus (COVID-19).
- Wellness Checks – Our Customer friendly customer engagement team will continue to check-in with all customers and Support Workers prior to Direct Support shifts. Our Wellness Checks provide an important opportunity to check the health of both our staff and customers prior to shifts commencing.
For full details on restrictions for the rest of Victoria, visit the DHHS website.
Community Programs
All community programs continue to be on hold at this stage unless there is a lifting of the measures by the Victorian Government related to social distancing and self-isolation practices. Programs include:
- All community group programs and Social Saturdays for Geelong and Werribee communities
- Weekends away and holidays
Supports we can provide to help keep customers healthy, safe and connected
- Supporting people in their home or single night 1:1 respite services outside the home
- Assisting with house cleaning, gardening and meal preparation
- Taking people to appointments or early morning shopping
- One to one supports for safe outdoor activities
- Picking up medicines, shopping or other essentials
- Conducting online learning and research as part of SLES or other NDIS goals
- Supporting customers in small known groups for outdoor activities.
Support Coordination Services
Support coordinators continue to provide important support at this time. Our staff are working from home and all communication is being conducted via online conferencing or telephone. This means we can keep delivering the excellent quality of support our customers are used to receiving from Leisure Networks.
Financial Plan Management
We continue to
- Deliver continuity of service for customers and providers
- Make payments within 3 business days of receiving invoices, wherever possible
- Ensure cash flow for providers is not compromised through delays
- Prioritise safe working conditions for our staff
We are still here and open for new business– so please don’t hesitate to contact us
We have a small team based at our Geelong Head Office.
We are continuing to on-board new customers and have established a telephone-based onboarding process, along with the use of recorded approvals and follow up documents.
Leisure Networks has a highly skilled, flexible and trusted workforce available to continue supporting those most vulnerable in our community.
We will continue as we have done in the past to recruit to meet demand and monitor this daily.
The best way to contact us during office hours (8.30am – 5.00pm) is to call our Customer Engagement Team on phone 5222 3911.
In this very uncertain time, we want to continue ensuring our customers are safe and still feel connected – we have an incredibly skilled team that can assist with making this happen.
Stay safe and take care everyone,
Libby
