Aruma’s response

Information current as at 26 March 2020

Our preparedness and response to COVID-19

Aruma is following all World Health Organisation, Australian Government and state health authorities’ advice.

We’re making changes to our services, and continuing to plan, to keep everyone safe at Aruma – our staff, customers, families and carers, contractors and suppliers, business customers, and all others who visit our services and sites.

We have a Pandemic Response Team managing our organisational response to COVID-19. The team is developing guidelines for us to follow. The safeguards we are implementing all meet official Australian Government COVID-19 guidelines.

As an organisation, we need to do all we can to slow the spread of the virus. This means listening to, and following, Government guidelines, particularly around social distancing.

All Aruma staff are responsible for ensuring they keep customers, visitors and themselves safe by adhering to our hygiene policies. These include washing hands properly and following coughing and sneezing etiquette.

We are also making changes to our approach to visitors at our services to comply with Government social distancing requirements. Read more about these changes.

The situation and response to COVID-19 in Australia is changing constantly. We’re providing updated information to our staff, to our customers and their families, and visitors to our sites.

In addition to our strict infection control guidelines and social distancing measures, our staff are following these protocols:

• Any staff with a confirmed case of COVID-19 must self-quarantine for 14 days or longer until they are symptom-free. Staff who are ill in general are not allowed at work until better.
• Staff must notify their managers and our HR team if they have been in a closed-in place for 2+ hours with anyone with COVID-19 or who is currently being tested for COVID-19. In discussion with management and the Aruma Pandemic Response Team, the member of staff may be required to self-isolate.
• All meetings are to take place via phone or Skype, unless it is absolutely critical to meet in person. In which case heavy social distancing measures will be in place along with infection control practices.
• Staff that are able to work from home are now doing so.
• No Aruma staff member will be flying for business purposes.
• Formal face-to-face training has ceased. Ongoing coaching and on-the-job training by experienced staff and managers (where already working together on site) will ensure consistent and safe services.
• All sites now have mandatory sign in sign out sheets, and all communal equipment will be disinfected after each use.

Supplies

Where we can, our staff are maintaining four weeks of supplies. This include medications and items for safe food handling, infection control, and cleaning. We’re also in ongoing contact with a variety of suppliers and the government on how best to maintain this buffer.

Keeping customers calm and informed

Staff have easy-to-understand information for customers. This includes information on self-care, activities and exercise.

We’ll continue to arm our staff with resources to help our customers and supported employees understand what changes may need to happen and what they should do.