Wollongong Speech Pathology is gradually returning to face-to-face services! This article explains the steps we are taking to provide ‘COVID safe’ home visits. The same steps apply to all of our face-to-face services. We want to make sure everyone is healthy and safe, no matter where the service takes place.

It is very important that you tell us in advance if anyone in your household is unwell, or self-isolating because they are at risk of becoming unwell, with COVID-19.

Unfortunately, due to strict public health requirements we will be unable to attend if anyone in your household is unwell or in self-isolation. We will of course treat this information in strict confidence. We can still offer you a telepractice service.

The Australian Government says “it’s OK to have home care”.

https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/ongoing-support-during-coronavirus-covid-19/accessing-health-services-during-coronavirus-covid-19-restrictions#in-person-home-visits

What Wollongong Speech Pathology is doing 

You might also like to know about the measures Wollongong Speech Pathology has taken to manage the risks of exposure to COVID-19 when we visit clients’ homes.

These include:

  • COVID screening with everyone we plan to see face-to-face
  • physical distancing
  • adapting clinical tasks to be “no touch”
  • increased hygiene measures such as hand sanitising before and after visits, and cleaning equipment between visits
  • use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), when it is indicated

Please help us to manage the risks to the health and safety of our staff by cooperating with the measures we have outlined above. Do the same things for us that you are doing to keep your own family and friends healthy and well.

What you can do

  • Before we visit, answer our COVID screening questions. Have a think about where we can sit, so we can maintain a 1.5 m distance.

  • When we arrive, we will ask you to wash your hands.

  • During the visit, use your arm to cover your nose and mouth if you must cough or sneeze. Observe the 1.5 m rule for physical distancing.

What if you are a “vulnerable” person?

Many of our clients fall in to a high risk category for COVID-19. We know that older Australians are at higher risk of dying from COVID-19. We also know that people with complex medical needs, in particular people with respiratory compromise, are at increased risk.

If you are high-risk we will work with you to find a solution. We are spending a lot of time risk assessing individual situations, and changing these risk assessments as new information is available. So let us work together, to keep you safe.

It is very likely that telepractice would be our preference for you. If telepractice is not an option, we could consider a face-to-face service with additional PPE.

How can you find out more?

If you want to know more about what you can do to stop the spread of COVID-19, there is fantastic information on the Department of Health website: