(The advice below remains current until changed)

We acknowledge the impact that COVID-19 is currently having on our workforce and services across NSW and would like to extend a thank you, for your understanding during this challenging start to the year.

As always, the safety of our clients and our teams is our number one priority, so we continue to ensure our community workers and all our people are isolating themselves in line with the public health order for close contacts and positive test results.

We deeply regret that the impact of COVID-19 on our workforce, has resulted in some client services needing to be rescheduled or cancelled. We are prioritising essential services above all others and ask for your patience during this time.

What we are doing to maintain services:

1. Ensuring our teams understand the close contact and isolation rules and report as soon as possible so we minimise staff unavailability and risk.
2. Prioritising essential services to be scheduled and filled first.
3. Deploying staff from other functions to assist with all service-related activities.
4. All our teams are triple vaccinated, and we are encouraging fourth doses for staff and clients.
5. Providing essential services for unwell clients by wearing Personal Protective Equipment.
6. We have many volunteers who would love to provide support in other ways such as phone calls or visits. Please let us know if you would like to find out about this.

Ways in which you can help us provide you with the best service and supports is by:

1. Contacting us with as much notice as possible if you need to change or cancel your services so we can effectively plan for you and other clients’ services.
2. Discuss with friends and family how they may be able to assist with meals, transport or shopping services
3. Wearing masks and maintaining a safe distance when you are in community, or even when you have a Community Worker in your home.
4. Ensure you and those in your household are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations.

Please be assured, our teams are continuing to monitor the health and wellbeing of our clients closely during this time. We continue to focus on recruiting and training our amazing teams of community workers, nurses and allied health staff so we can provide you with the home life you choose.

For any questions or concerns please contact us on 1800 225 474.

Catholic Healthcare is pleased to advise that all our Community Workers across NSW will have received their first COVID-19 vaccine by the end of this week.  

This is in addition to the majority of Community Workers and Care Advisors who are already fully vaccinated for COVID-19 in the Sydney area. 

You need two doses of COVID-19 vaccine for maximum protection, but according to the Australian Department of Health even a single dose provides protection (by more than 70%) against hospitalisation and greatly reduces transmission. Please see the Australian Department of Health website for more information.

In addition to the COVID-19 vaccination, our staff have comprehensive infection control protocols in place consistent with Government advice to minimise risk for clients and staff. Protocols include mandatory mask wearing; pre-visit screening; staff training on infection control and handwashing; and reminding staff to stay home when they are unwell.  

If you would like assistance to organise your own COVID-19 vaccination our staff can provide support in booking appointments as well as transport to and from the vaccination clinic or GP. 

It’s important you continue to receive your essential Home Care services for your wellbeing. Our Community Workers are authorised by NSW Health to deliver essential services such as domestic assistance, grocery deliveries and clinical services to support our Home Care Package and Commonwealth Home Support Programme clients. 

Please call our Customer Care Team on 1800 225 474 to resume your Home Care services. 

We are here to support you to stay safe and well. 

Please be assured that Catholic Healthcare’s Home Care services are considered essential services by the Department of Health and will continue to be delivered to all clients including those located in regions affected by movement lockdowns.

Catholic Healthcare staff are authorised, essential aged care workers with permission from NSW Public Health to provide services to people receiving Home Care Packages or CHSP support services.

We have comprehensive COVID-19 protocols in place consistent with Government advice to minimise risk for clients and staff. Protocols include mandatory mask wearing; pre-visit screening; staff training on infection control and handwashing; and reminding staff to stay home when they are unwell. We are also actively encouraging and supporting staff and clients to access COVID-19 vaccination.

Essential Home Care Package and Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) services include:

• Meals (delivered to the home only)
• Transport (trips to essential medical appointments only)
• Vaccination support (assistance in booking Covid-19 vaccinations/transport to and from vaccination clinic or GP)
• Domestic Assistance (general house cleaning, delivery of groceries and other essential shopping only)
• Nursing
• Personal Care
• Home Maintenance (e.g. gardening and repairs to ensure health, safety and security of the premises or clients)
• Home Modifications (to ensure the health and safety of clients)
• Goods, Equipment and Assistive Technology (to ensure the health and safety of clients)
• Allied Health and Therapy Services (e.g. physiotherapy, podiatry, occupational therapy etc)
• Social Support (phone and online-based services only – Catholic Healthcare is here to support you)

All these essential services are available to you.

If you have any questions or need any additional support, our Customer Care Team members are available to assist you via video conferencing, by phone or if preferred, in person at your home.

For the latest information regarding COVID-19, please review the NSW State Government COVID-19 response website.

We are here to support you to stay safe and well. For any enquiries, please contact our Customer Care Team on 1800 225 474.

As this latest COVID-19 outbreak continues to evolve we would like to reassure you that Catholic Healthcare is here to support you with essential Home Care Services.

We are monitoring Government advice and keeping up-to-date with changing restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our community.

Here for you:

• Home Care is considered an essential service. All Home Care services delivered by Catholic Healthcare will continue as normal (unless circumstances change), with the exception of group indoor social and indoor exercise programs. The Department of Health allows outside activity in groups of up to 10 people.
• We have resumed comprehensive COVID-19 protocols consistent with government advice to minimise risk for clients and staff. Protocols include, updated mandatory staff training on infection control and handwashing; mask wearing; pre-visit screening; and reminding staff to stay home when they are unwell. We are also actively encouraging staff and clients to be vaccinated for COVID-19.
  
  

Extra support available:

Shopping support - we can accompany and transport you to your local grocery store or help you make your purchases online. If you would prefer to remain in your home, we can also do your shopping for you and drop it off at your home.

Social support - our teams have adjusted our social support groups and can move these to one-on-one connection.

Check in phone calls - we can organise check in phone calls from one of our caring team members or volunteers to help support social, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.

Vaccination support - Catholic Healthcare encourages senior Australians to access COVID-19 vaccinations. We can assist by booking your appointments on your behalf, providing transport as well as post-vaccination support.

Masks for clients - in Metropolitan Sydney and Central Coast, Nepean Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Shellharbour all Home Care clients must wear a mask when staff are providing services in your home. This rule has been put in place to reduce the risk of infection to you and our staff. You can wear your own mask or your Community Worker can provide a mask to wear if you do not have your own. We recognise in some circumstances if you have respiratory issues, have difficulty communicating effectively through a mask or whilst showering that this requirement may need to be adjusted.

Masks for staff - all Catholic Healthcare staff are required to wear a mask while in your home, and we encourage everyone to practice social distancing and regular handwashing.  

Email – to ensure our communication to you is easy and timely, please provide your Care Advisor with your email address. If you have received this letter by email, thank you, we have your email address on file.

Latest COVID-19 Communication – visit the Catholic Healthcare website for the latest news and updates.

Feeling unwell - You should isolate yourself at home if you have been identified as a close contact of a positive case of COVID-19 (until 14 days after last contact with the confirmed case). Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19, even mild symptoms, should get tested at a COVID-19 testing clinic. If you are unwell, please inform our Customer Care team on 1800 225 474 for advice regarding getting tested and rescheduling your services.

Our Care Advisors are available to assist you. They can speak to you via video conferencing, by phone or if preferred, in person at your home.

For the latest information regarding COVID-19 including advice on actions to help prevent the spread of the virus, please visit the Department of Health website.

Thank you for your ongoing consideration and support.

In light of emerging COVID-19 cases across Greater Sydney we want to reassure you that Catholic Healthcare has reviewed and re-activated our COVID-19 safe plans and we are monitoring advice from the Federal Department of Health and NSW Health to ensure we are across all rules and restrictions as they come into effect. 

As you may be aware there are new rules and restrictions that apply across Greater Sydney including the Central Coast, Wollongong, Shellharbour and the Blue Mountains. There are also ‘stay at home’ orders for people who live or work in the local government areas of City of Sydney, Woollahra, Waverley and Randwick.  

All non-essential services scheduled across Greater Sydney will be cancelled from today until 2 July 2021. This decision is based on advice from the Department of Health in order to reduce the risk of COVID-19 to clients and staff of aged care home services. Essential services such as personal care, grocery shopping,  medical appointments, meal preparation, medication support or nursing services will continue.

A member of our friendly team will be in contact with you to confirm any cancellations of scheduled services that are necessary. If you have any concerns for your safety and wellbeing at this time, please let our staff know so that we can put supports in place to assist. 

At this stage, all services will resume as normal on 3 July, however, this is subject to Government advice and these restrictions could be extended if needed. We will keep you informed.  

Again, we want to remind you that all care staff are required to wear a mask while in your home, and we encourage you and our staff to practice social distancing and regular handwashing.  

If you require special services during this time we can provide the following: 

• Shopping - we can accompany and transport you to your local grocery store or help you make your purchase online. If you would prefer to remain in your home, we can do the shopping on your behalf and drop it off to you.  

• Check in phone calls from one of our friendly staff or volunteers to maintain your mental, emotional and spiritual wellness.  

If you would like to book essential services or have any questions, please call our Customer Care team.   

You should also isolate yourself at home if you have been identified as a close contact of a proven case of COVID-19 (until 14 days after last contact with the confirmed case). Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19, even mild symptoms, should get tested at a COVID-19 testing clinic. 

As per the usual process, if you are unwell please inform the Customer Care team on 1800 225 474 to cancel your service or reschedule.  

For the latest information regarding COVID-19 including advice on actions to help prevent the spread of the virus, please visit the Department of Health website.