Dear Clients of Moving Mindsets Clinic
We wish to inform you of changes to the operation of the clinic to reassure you that we have taken all reasonable steps protect your safety whilst attending the premises. The following directives have taken into account the recent Chief Medical Officer (CMO) orders for working in a COVID safe environment, and our legal requirements to both staff and clients to create a safe work environment. Our prime responsibility is to prevent risk of transmission of COVID within the Clinic, as we are legally liable if we do not take reasonable steps to do so. In light of this the following guidelines have now been implemented:
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Clinicians
All clinicians are now required to be fully vaccinated to attend the premises of Moving Mindsets as lawfully directed by state and federal directives from the CMO.
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Clients
All clients are now required to be fully vaccinated to attend the premises of Moving Mindsets.This decision has been not lightly taken, however our primary legal responsibility is to the safety of all clients, clinicians and staff who attend the clinic.
Please note, these measures also pertain to those people with medical exemptions to remain unvaccinated, as the public Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) risk remains paramount.
Clients must notify the clinic if they are unvaccinated and/or have been in contact with infected people before attending the clinic in person. In this case we can offer Telehealth sessions, although this may change in accord with government directives over time.
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Proof of vaccination
All clients will be asked to provide proof of vaccination. You may refuse to provide this, however please be aware privacy law will not overrule the lawful direction to prove you are vaccinated for OH&S safety for business, staff and clients. Without proof of vaccination, we have been advised legally that we can reasonably assume either there is no vaccination or an unacceptable risk to the clinic safety without adequate proof of vaccination.
Fraudulent vaccination exemptions or certificates- If a client is found to be falsifying vaccination certificates or exemptions or lying about their vaccination status, treatment will end and they will be referred to the pubic options, based on fraudulent behaviour and the physical health risk they have willingly put others in danger.
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Children and Parents
Those children unable to be vaccinated (i.e. Under 12-year-old children) must wear masks on the premises and your clinician will perform extra cleaning of the room. Your child’s consultant may also ask proof of a COVID test prior to long face to face sessions or assessments (rapid test is acceptable when released).
Parents – must be vaccinated to come on the premises or remain in their car or off the property. If they pose a risk to others by not being vaccinated and insisting to come on the premises, consultants can refuse treatment to the child. It can be seen as legally negligent if we knowingly allow an unvaccinated person on site (under 12 year old exempted at this time). -
Safe Environment
The clinic takes all actions to adhere to all COVID safety cleaning, requirements and advice and regulations. The clinic is thoroughly cleaned each week, air purifiers are installed and cleaning and disinfecting the clinic is actioned every day.
Moving Mindsets takes all effort to reduce the chance of any contagion at the clinic. Please ensure while at the clinic you follow COVID safe precautions to keep yourself and others safe from infection. You are required to wear a mask and maintain social distancing, as well as the above directions to be vaccinated to attend the clinic, to ensure the safety of all individuals at the clinic, attending the clinic, waiting at the clinic and working in the clinic.
These guidelines will be reviewed with any alterations to public health directives and OH&S risk factors.
Thank you for your understanding at this very difficult time, and we will do our best to navigate through these changes together.
What do I need to know about my telehealth sessions?
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Your telehealth session are claimable under Medicare from March 30th, 2020.
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If you are a current client for over 6 months you can receive a medicare rebate for telecounselling with your MHTP.
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New clients need a referral that states the need for telecounselling by the GP.
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Workcover, TAC, VOCAT all support telecounselling at this time.
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We recommend you consult with your therapist on what telecommunication server they are using, in preparation for your telecounselling session.
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Please call us and we can help you through this process.
We are sure you have been following the media coverage of the COVID-19 outbreak. We do believe that as a community it is imperative that we work together to slow COVID-19 down, and the best way to do this is through good hygiene and sensible precautions. As community transmission has appeared to have begun in Victoria we are entering a time of purposeful social distancing, even for people without symptoms or contact.
We would like to reassure you that we can continue to have sessions and ensure that you receive the support you need. We also want you to feel empowered, in the face of multiple, and at times conflicting messages, to choose to access sessions in a way in which you feel comfortable. If you, or someone close to you, is in a group that is vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus, or you are already making a personal choice to practice social distancing, ahead of government mandates, then please let us know, and we can conduct our sessions via Telehealth. Medicare rebates for telehealth are now available if you have a MHTP. If you are under 16 and classified as vulnerable, should you choose to have your session remotely, and in light of the economic impact for many the telehealth and phone sessions under 50 minutes will be bulk billed. We believe it is important that we all make adjustments and help each other at this time.
If you have any cold or flu symptoms, or had close contact with someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19, or have travelled into Australia from overseas in the last 14 days, please stay home rather than attend in person. For further information about COVID-19 and how to protect yourself, please see DHHS or call 1800 020 080 for more information on Coronavirus. Please click on the page for Corona Virus Advice for tips on anxiety. Please contact reception at your earliest availability to let them know if you would like to meet via telecounselling.
Stay well and healthy and remember this will pass and the world will reset.
From APS Website