Policies

1.Hygiene

• 1. Wash hands before and after sessions
  2. Hand sanitiser throughout sessions
  3. Good air flow where you are working
  4. TA’s will wear face masks during sessions

2.Cleaning

1. 1. High touch areas need to be cleaned with Anti-bacterial wipes/spray before and after TA attends session

3.Physical distancing

1. 1. Remain 1.5 meters apart
   2. TA’s will only attend 1 session with 1 participant per day

Screening of symptoms

1. 1. Complete COVID-19 screening tool

Therapy Assistants

1. 1. Please notify us of all people in the household during session
   2. TAs in Melbourne ensure you have a current “Permit to Work” at all times during stage 4

Staying safe during COVID-19

During this challenging time, TAA are supporting all of our staff, participants/clients, their families, the qualified allied health practitioners and our referrers to stay well by following government advice and ensuring that sessions are rescheduled if there are symptoms (listed below). 

From Department of Health and Human Services – Victorian Government:

HOW TO STAY SAFE:

• practice good hygiene
• maintain physical distancing, keep at least 1.5 metres away from others
• understand the risk and symptoms
• help continue to slow the spread of COVID-19 by getting tested, even if you have mild symptoms
• stay home and avoid contact if you’re feeling unwell
• take care wherever you go, assume others may be carrying the virus

THE SYMPTOMS TO WATCH OUT FOR ARE:

• Fever
• Chills or sweats
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Shortness of breath
• Runny nose
• Loss of sense of smell 

In certain circumstances headache, muscle soreness, stuffy nose, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea may also be considered.

To get further advice, call the 24-hour coronavirus hotline 1800 675 398, your local doctor or use our online self-assessment tool.

Therapy Assistants Australia (TAA) collects, handles and processes information for its potential clients, potential staff and visitors via our website. All data collected is kept confidential in accordance with state and commonwealth legislation. No information is shared with external professionals or services that are necessary for the benefit of the client without your explicit consent. As a service provider for children, young people and vulnerable adults TAA may be legally required to share information with government organisations without your explicit consent or knowledge.

TAA refuses to share or sell its client information to third parties.

TAA will periodically request feedback via the website and generate surveys to be sent via our email lists, however involvement is purely voluntary and anonymous unless you opt for follow up. This feedback is for the enhancement of the service and benefit of the disability community as a whole. 

1. Policy Purpose and Rationale

Therapy Assistants Australia is committed to upholding information privacy and client/participant confidentiality as an essential foundation to the delivery of our quality services. We recognize the essential right of individuals to have their information handled in a way that allows for privacy, personal access and maintaining confidentiality. 

This document entails our policy related to the handling of personal information and upholding confidentiality.

2. Definitions

2.1 Client
Individual receiving service from Therapy Assistants Australia.

2.2 Confidentiality 

The duty to keep personal information private.

2.3 Consent

Permission to obtain/release information by an individual who is capable of understanding the nature and purpose of doing so.

2.4 Serious and imminent risk

A threat to an individual’s life or health, which could result in injury, threat to mental health, illness or death and is at risk of happening in the near future.

3. Scope

This policy applies to all staff, board and operations members of Therapy Assistants Australia.

4. Procedure Statement

Therapy Assistants Australia values the privacy of all individuals and aims to deliver a high quality service that respects the rights of its participants. We are committed to protecting our participant’s privacy in line with legislative expectations, by guaranteeing the collection, storage, use and disclosure of personal information is in line with this.

5. Governing Legislation

• Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic) including Victorian Information Privacy Principles
• Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) including the Victorian Health Privacy Principles
• Freedom of Information Action 1982 (Vic)
• Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic)
• Public Records Act 1973 (Vic)

6. Overview

Therapy Assistants Australia will ensure privacy information is readily available and understood through the following processes;

• Information regarding the Therapy Assistants Australia Privacy & Confidentiality Policy will be provided and explained prior to the collection of information from a participant.
• The Privacy & Confidentiality Policy information will be provided to a participant within their introduction pack.
• Relevant privacy information will be published on the Therapy Assistants Australia website.
• All staff and board members will be required to complete online Privacy and Confidentiality and Health Records training modules as part of their induction to Therapy Assistants Australia.

6.1 Information Collecting

Therapy Assistants Australia understand the importance of your privacy, and will be responsible for ensuring that the information collected and held is accurate, complete and current. We require the collection of your personal information so we are able to provide you the most appropriate support. You will be informed on the primary purpose of collection, when you register with our service. If you chose not to consent to the collection of your personal information, we may only be able to provide you a limited level of service. 

6.2 Participants

Therapy Assistants Australia requires the gathering of personal or sensitive information of participants that is necessary for the delivery of service. Therapy Assistants Australia will only gather information directly from the participant or their guardian when consent has been received. 

A participant/guardian may provide consent for Therapy Assistants Australia to consult with third parties to gather information, these include: health professional, allied health practitioners, advocates, support persons etc.  

6.3 Staff

Therapy Assistants Australia requires the gathering of personal information of staff that is necessary for recruitment requirements and ongoing monitoring for occupational health and safety/well being and compliance. 

6.4 Sensitive Information

Sensitive information refers to any information or opinion about things relating to an individual’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, membership or a political association, religious or philosophical beliefs, membership of a trade union or other professional body, criminal record or health/medical/disability information (Privacy Act, 1988).

Therapy Assistants Australia will require the collection of some sensitive information; 

• Health information relating to health/medical/disability to ensure we are providing an appropriate level of support related to your needs.
• Occupational Health & Safety information relating to your household, to ensure the safety of our staff when offering our service.

 6.5 Use and Disclosure of Personal Information

Therapy Assistants Australia will provide personal information of participants only to staff and allied health professionals who are involved with providing services. Information that is considered essential for the level of support offered, will be accessed by appropriate staff and their role requirements. 

6.6 Storage of personal information

Therapy Assistants Australia store personal information of staff and participants to prevent misuse by unauthorised access and disclosure. We store personal information on our practice management system Clinico which is password protected, and offers individualised profiles for each participant and staff member. 

These accounts are managed and monitored by Therapy Assistants Australia’s clinical supervisors.  

7. Breach of Privacy

Therapy Assistants Australia will only be required to breach a participant or staff’s privacy or confidentiality in the circumstance that;

• The individual is believed to be at serious and imminent risk to themselves or others.
• We are required by law.

8. Complaints

Therapy Assistants Australia supports all staff and participants to make complaints with regards to privacy, if they believe their personal information has been breached. We receive complaints verbally or in writing, and support anonymity if requested. Please note however, that anonymous complaints may limit the extent of the complaint being investigated and resolved. 

1.Policy Purpose and Rationale

Therapy Assistants Australia (TAA) is committed to upholding appropriate standards of service delivery. This policy outlines the processes that are in place for a participant/client to provide any feedback or complaint regarding the TAA service delivery. 

In line with the NDIS Commissioner Guidelines, TAA welcomes any feedback or complaints regarding the service we deliver to our client/participants.

Please note; there is also an Easy to read English version of this document available request via therapy.assistants.australia@gmail.com

2. Definitions

Complaint

A form of feedback that is given if the service provided is unsatisfactory, and you would like us to help you resolve an issue that you have.

Compliment

A form of feedback that is given when you would like to share something about our service that you think great.

Suggestion for improvement 

A form of feedback that is given when you have an idea of an area of our service that you think could be improved.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all clients/participants of Therapy Assistants Australia. This policy is also relevant for all staff, board and operations members of TAA, and Allied Health Practitioners who support clients/participants of TAA. 

3.Governing Legislation

National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013.

4.Overview 

Any feedback that is received by Therapy Assistants Australia will be taken seriously, and appropriate follow up action will occur in a timely manner.

5.1 Types of feedback 

Feedback can be given in the form of a complaint, compliment or suggestion for improvement to TAA. All types of feedback received can be made either formally or informally, and can be provided by a participants/client/representative, employee, community member or Allied Health Practitioner. Feedback may be given anonymously, however we recommend that to resolve concerns and continue delivering a high quality of service, that any serious feedback or complaints are done so directly to TAA management by the client/participant/representative. 

5.2 Feedback and Complaints Process

We welcome feedback in all forms, and welcome them in the most convenient way to the person providing it. 

The following avenues are some ways to provide feedback to Therapy Assistants Australia:

• Completing a feedback form on our website:
  www.therapyassistants.com.au
  This can be done anonymously or you may leave your name and contact details for follow up.
• Email us at therapy.assistants.australia@gmail.com
• Give us a call on 0492 976 845
• Chat directly with a Therapy Assistants Australia staff member that you have contact with, perhaps your Therapy Assistant, if you are a client/participant/representative 

5.3 Feedback and Complaints to the NDIS/NDIA

If you don’t feel comfortable providing your feedback directly to Therapy Assistants Australia, or you feel as though your feedback wasn’t dealt with sufficiently you can contact a range of external services. Some of these services include but are not limited to:

• NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission on 1800 035 544 https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/
• Office of the Public Advocate on 1300 309 337 https://www.publicadvocate.vic.gov.au/

5.4 Collection and Review of feedback

Therapy Assistants Australia (TAA) makes an effort to advise all clients/participants/representatives, allied health practitioners and staff about the feedback and complaints process, encouraging its use whenever necessary. TAA will receive all types of feedback on each and every platform listed above, and will be handled by the management team. Depending on the complexity of the feedback, TAA management will respond to feedback within 5-10 business days. 

1. Policy Purpose and Rationale

Therapy Assistants Australia (TAA) is committed to the philosophy of effective and responsible risk management as a core managerial responsibility. TAA’s approach and expectations underpins the development, implementation and integration of the framework and processes to manage risk. 

TAA recognises that management of risk incorporates culture, systems, processes and structures that aim to identify potential risks and incidents before they happen in order to develop prevention and response strategies. Practice standards address risk management to reflect  economic resilience, professional reputation and environmental and safety outcomes.

2.Definitions

Risk 

Defined as the “effect of uncertainty on objectives”. Such an effect can be a positive or negative deviation from expectation. (ISO 31000:2018)

Risk Management

“A coordinated set of activities and methods that is used to direct an organisation and to control many risks that affect its ability to achieve objectives.” (ISO 31000:2018)

Risk Assessment

“The process that comprises identification, analysis and evaluation risk”. (ISO 31000:2018)

Risk Identification

“The process used to find, recognise and describe risks that could affect the achievement of objectives” (ISO 31000:2018)

Risk Analysis

“The process used to understand the nature, sources and causes of risks that have been identified” (ISO 31000:2018)

Risk Evaluation

“The process used to compare risk analysis results with risk criteria to determine tolerability or acceptability of a risk.” (ISO 31000:2018)

3. Scope

This policy applies to all staff, board and operations members of Therapy Assistants Australia. This policy os also relevant to all clients and their families.

4. Governing Legislation

Australian and New Zealand standard AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018: Risk Management.

5. Procedure Statement

Therapy Assistants Australia values the safety of all staff and clients in the nature of the service we are providing. We are committed to maintaining a high standard of risk management identification and procedures by creating an organisation which embeds such processes in our culture, policies and systems overall. 

6. Overview of Risk Management Process 

In accordance with the Australian and New Zealand standard AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009: Risk Management. The following steps outline the risk management process for Therapy Assistants Australia; 

3. 1. Communication and consultation with internal/external stakeholders during risk assessment and treatment.

   The environment in which our business runs is complex and requires a range of considerations to be made that determine how risk is identified and further managed. Prior to the initial engagement of a Therapy Assistant and an NDIS Participant or Private Client, TAA Management are required to conduct a risk management process to determine suitability of referral and matching. This involves communication with all parties involved in the therapeutic journey. 

   2. Identifying the risk

   Understanding and identifying risk is done though a comprehensive process, and is essential in considering all risks, from all areas, including those which place the business’ reputation, values and service quality under pressure.

   3. Analysing the risk

   Analysing risk comprises an understanding of the foundation of the risk, predicting the impact of the consequences, and the likelihood of them occurring. 

   4. Evaluating the risk

   Risk evaluation stems from the outcome of risk identification and analysis, whereby the level of highlighted risk is discussed and a course of action is planned. 

   5. Treating the risk

   Risk treatment is based on implementing actions that have been formed in the risk evaluation stage, by prioritising in order of importance the appropriate actions to manage and resolve consequences of risk identified. 

   6. Ongoing monitoring and review of risk exposure and of the effectiveness of risk controls. 

   7. Monitoring and reviewing of risk, and the effectiveness of the risk management procedures is an important part in keeping the policy reliable. A risk management policy and procedural review will be reviewed annually and revised as necessary.

   ACTIONS

   • Therapy Assistants Australia’s Managing Directors will annually review the risk management procedures and their effectiveness.

   • TAA’s Managing Directors will make any necessary changes to risk management processes, controls and actions should it be necessary before the annual review.

   • TAA’s Managing Directors will ensure risk assessment is carried out for all relevant staff and participant/client interactions

Therapy Assistants Australia (TAA) provides a high quality of service, including a strategic employment and matching process, collaboration with participants/their representatives and Allied Health Practitioners, and ongoing training and support for Therapy Assistants (TA). In order to provide this service we have a set of costs that we have outlined that you should expect during the delivery of service and will be defined on invoices.

2. Scope 

This policy applies to all clients/participants or their representatives.

3. Overview

The cost to a client/participant or their representative is for the service delivery of a TA. Some costs won’t be direct client/participant contact. The following costs are necessary for our service:

Sessions

Therapy Assistants Australia will invoice for the time that a TA is engaging with a client/participant.

In some circumstances a TA may support a client/participant to their appointments/hobbies, this time will also be invoiced.

Time billed: This will be based on session times/service agreement

Documentation

In order to continue providing a high quality of service, TAA uses a reputable allied health practice management system, Cliniko which ensures the privacy of information and data in accordance with Australian legislation. If you would like access to this information please contact TAA management in writing in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 1982. 

To ensure the clients/participants goals are met over time we expect our TAs to complete the following documentation: 

Session Notes

After every session a TA will complete a session note outlining the progress of goals and key themes of the session. 

Time billed: 15 minutes of hourly rate

Session Plans

Before official TA and client/participant engagement, TAA expects that there is a “meet and greet meeting” where the TA, the client/participant and their representatives meet to discuss the goals for the sessions. TA’s are expected to document this so they can be referred to for future evaluation and progress reports. These session plans can be reviewed as frequently as every 6 sessions according to the needs and goals of the Allied Health Practitioners, the client/participant and the family.

Time billed: 30 minutes of hourly rate

Progress Reports

Every 6 months, TA’s are expected to complete an updated progress report which directly outlines the development of client/participant goals and sessions. For NDIS participants these reports can support an NDIS review meeting, to support continual funding for the participant. 

Time billed: 30-60 minutes of hourly rate

Risk Assessment

To maintain the safety of our clients/participants and TAA staff members, ongoing risk assessment will be completed during your engagement with the service.

An initial Risk Assessment will be conducted in the matching phase of your involvement with TAA which will be free of charge.

Ongoing Risk Management will occur 6 monthly, except for circumstances where a significant incident occurs which requires incident reporting, and in that case would require an update Risk Assessment to ensure quality compliance. 

Time billed: 30-60 minutes of hourly rate for updating risk assessment

Transport Costs

If a TA transports a client/participant during a session then those kilometres will also be invoiced against the NDIS plan or billed separately for private clients, in accordance to the Australia Taxation Office rates for 2020, currently 68 cents per kilometre and distances will be calculated via google maps or TA kilometre log book.We do not invoice for travel kms or time for TAs to and from client/participant’s home addresses, however if costs such as parking, road tolls or such (excluding traffic violations/fines) are incurred during TAs transporting clients /participants then these costs will be added to the client/participant invoice.

4.Transparency, Honesty and Standards

As well as the direct contact hours the client/participant receives from the TA and the above mentioned non contact items that will be billed, TAA are responsible for the recruitment and matching process; wellbeing, training and peer support opportunities; public liability insurance, professional indemnity, WorkCover insurance and superannuation where applicable. TAA management is available and welcomes feedback from all our stakeholders as we have high expectations and values regarding service delivery, compliance and professional practice.

5. Timelines and Expectations

In the Service Agreement that is signed at the commencement of service engagement, the client/participant or their representative commit to payment of invoices within 14 days of the date on the invoice. If after 28 days, TAA have not received payment then service will cease, if there is not written communication from the client / participant or their representative as to the delay in payment; TAA will be forced to take legal action to recover outstanding payments as service has already been provided and additional costs in reclaiming such payments will be forwarded to the client/participant. 

 6. Cancellation of Sessions

Sessions can be rescheduled, meaning change of time but same day via the WhatsApp group that you will be involved with TAA management and your Therapy Assistant. This will ensure real time communication between the three parties.

Sessions that need to change date, are referred to as cancelled. Cancellations can be made via email, text or phone calls to TAA management and the time of the communication will determine whether it is inside or outside of the 48 hours of the session.

If the session is cancelled with greater than 48 hours notice then there will be NO FEES applied.

If the session is cancelled with less than 48 hours notice then in line with NDIS payment guidelines TAA are within their right to charge the participant or Plan Management 100% of the scheduled fees for the session.

7. Relevant Policies

• Privacy and Confidentiality Policy 
• Risk Management Policy 
• Feedback Policy 

Easy to Read English Information           

    Privacy and Confidentiality – available via email request – therapy.assistants.australia@gmail.com

Feedback and Complaints – available via email request – therapy.assistants.australia@gmail.com