COVID-19 INFO

Update to COVID-19 Protocol (updated 11/08/2023)

As we have moved into a period of higher community wide immunisation, the guidelines from the Department of Health are changing. Engage OT have obligations as a healthcare provider, which we will continue to meet. You can be assured that this helps to protect you during your interactions with us. Current Victorian Government guidelines mandate that healthcare providers must not go to work when they are unwell. Staff at Engage OT continue to regularly use Rapid Antigen Testing, even when symptoms are not present.

All of our employees were required to be fully-vaccinated in accordance with directives from the Department of Health that came into effect on the 15th October 2021. We currently do not require clients to be fully vaccinated for home visits, however, this is strongly encouraged. If you are a current client and are not fully vaccinated (and do not have a medical exemption), we will offer you alternatives for the time being, such as Telehealth, in order to continue to service you.

Important information about corona virus (COVID-19/SARS-CoV 2)

Most people in our community are acutely aware of Corona Virus (COVID-19) and that it is continuing to impact individuals in Australia, including Western Victoria, despite relatively high levels of community vaccination. Corona Virus can be high risk for certain individuals including elderly people and those with compromised immune functioning. Up to date information about Corona Virus, including symptoms, testing, and other important information, can be found here.

As a therapy service, it’s important that we continue to operate as long as possible and with as minimal disruption to our clients. This means it’s a good idea for our service to make some sensible changes to support the health of our clients and staff.

What is ENGAGE OT doing about corona virus?

If our staff are unwell or displaying cold and flu symptoms, they will be staying at home to practice social distancing and help prevent spread of all viruses (whether or not they display COVID-19 symptoms), until they are symptom-free. This means that there may be unavailability of your therapist for face-to-face sessions.

We are taking additional precautions around the workplace to maintain hygiene and cleanliness, including regularly wiping down objects and surfaces, use of antibacterial spray, and encouraging clients to make use of hand-washing and alcohol hand gel facilities upon entering and leaving our building.

Even if our admin staff are unavailable, you will still be able to make future appointments via the phone or by email. 

What we need our clients to do?

Please do not attend your appointment if you or someone in your home is unwell, or if you have returned from overseas or been around someone returning from overseas recently. Please stay at home and contact our administration staff by phone or email if you cannot attend your appointment. Please give us as much notice as possible as we have other clients who may be urgently waiting for an appointment.

If you are not able to attend your appointment face-to-face but would like to still have your session, we may be able to conduct this via a secure Telehealth platform. Telehealth at Engage OT is usually conducted via Zoom Video Conferencing. To use Zoom, you need a computer, tablet or smart phone, and reasonably stable internet connection. Your clinician will send you a link to your Zoom appointment via email before your appointment. If your internet isn’t secure, then we may recommend combining the visual connection via Zoom and calling you on the phone for the audio connection. Alternatively, you might be able to conduct your appointment via another platform such as WhatsApp or Facetime or via the phone, depending on your preferences.  You can talk to our admin staff or your clinician for more details.

If you are attending the centre in Ballarat, we strongly encourage you to arrive on time, rather than early, for your appointment to reduce the number of people in the waiting room. If you arrive early, please wait in your car until the time your appointment is due to start. We encourage you to leave the building immediately after your appointment.

Please wash your hands on entering and leaving our building and/or make use of our alcohol-based hand gel which is located in the waiting room.

If you need to sneeze or cough, please do so into your elbow.

Thank you for doing your part in minimising the spread of viruses and helping our staff and other clients to stay healthy.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your clinician on 0400907622 or by email on engageot20@gmail.com.