Year: 2022

18 January 2021

We are pleased to advise you that we are in the position to welcome back visitors to Whiddon Easton Park, in areas where there are not any residents impacted by COVID-19 (please note that visitation to Easton Park Units Level 3 and some areas of SDM is still restricted at this time). To ensure the safety of everyone, and due to the current pressures on staffing, the following will apply when visiting:

• One fully vaccinated visitor, per resident, per day, will be permitted
• Visits are to occur between 9am and 12pm and 1pm and 4pm on weekdays (visits outside of these hours will be at the discretion of management and only when there is staff capacity to do so)
• There will be limits to the numbers of visitors who can book in at each time to enable management of capacity limits
• All visits must be pre-booked
• Where possible, outdoor visits will be encouraged
• Visits cannot not take place in communal areas
• All visitors must wear PPE, including an N95 mask and a face shield, this will be provided to visitors (visitors can re-use the face shield provided on their next visit)
• Only visitors over 12 years old are permitted and all visitors must have received a second dose of a COVID vaccination at least 14 days prior to their visit
• Visitors will be asked to complete a rapid antigen test as a condition of entry
• Unvaccinated visitors can only undertake a window visit (which must be pre-booked) and must not enter the home, except when the residents is at the end of life. Please speak to your loved one’s Care Manager directly to gain the necessary approval to visit

Please ensure that you:

• Refrain from visiting if you have COVID-19 symptoms
• Refrain from visiting you are a close or casual contact of a person with confirmed COVID-19, unless they have completed their isolation and testing requirements. Close contacts should not enter high risk settings for at least 14 days since their exposure to a COVID-positive person
• Refrain from visiting if you have been overseas in the previous 14 days, unless you are fully vaccinated and have received a negative PCR test 7 days or later after arrival in NSW
• Refrain from visiting if you are waiting for a COVID-19 test result
• Practice good hand hygiene and socially distance
• Check in to the Service NSW app AND Whiddon’s check-in system when you visit

While we are able to welcome back visitors, we do ask that you follow our guidelines and remain vigilant. With increasing numbers of COVID-19 in our communities, it is important that we all take steps to help keep everyone safe.

We thank you for your understanding and support. We genuinely understand that this has been a challenging time.

17 January 2021

Further to our message to you earlier today, we have received an update this afternoon from the local Public Health Unit (PHU) to advise us that at a review of visitation at Whiddon Hornsby will take place tomorrow or Wednesday, with a view to re-open to visitors this week. This is welcome news.

We will provide a further update to you once this review has taken place and a decision has been made by the local PHU.

We thank you for your patience and understanding. We know this has been a challenging time and we hope to provide some good news around visitation in the coming days.

17 January 2021

Further to our message to you earlier today, we have received an update this afternoon from the local Public Health Unit (PHU) to advise us that at a review of visitation at Whiddon Largs will take place tomorrow or Wednesday, with a view to re-open to visitors this week. This is welcome news.

We will provide a further update to you once this review has taken place and a decision has been made by the local PHU.

We thank you for your patience and understanding. We know this has been a challenging time and we hope to provide some good news around visitation in the coming days.

17 January 2022

Further to previous updates, we have had an additional resident test positive to COVID-19 via a rapid antigen test. A follow-up PCR test has been completed and we are currently awaiting the results. This resident is located in the same area as the resident who previously tested positive to COVID-19. No other residents have tested positive to date, or currently have any symptoms of the virus.

Pleasingly, since our last update, no additional employees have tested positive. Rapid antigen testing of employees before they commence their shifts continues at this time.

For now, visitation to CHAPCA remains restricted. Only visits for essential caring or on compassionate grounds such as end of life will be permitted with approval, and residents are strongly encouraged not to leave the care home for now. CHAPCA residents are enjoying the activities they love to do each day and our teams are working hard to keep them connected with their family wherever possible.

Families of residents in Haven are welcome to visit (Haven only). Visits must be pre-booked and residents are permitted to have one fully vaccinated visitors aged 12 years and over only, per day. Residents from Haven are also able to go out, with precautions in place on their return, depending on the outing undertaken, as per the new guidelines.

We are continuing to work with the local Public Health Unit and will provide a further update later in the week.

Once again, we thank you for your patience and understanding.

17 January 2022

Further to our previous updates, pleasingly, no additional employees have tested positive to COVID-19. We have not had any residents test positive to COVID-19. Residents are doing well and our teams are working hard to keep you connected with your loved ones at this time via phone and video calls wherever possible at this time.

We continue to work closely with the local Public Health Unit and follow their advice and our employees are wearing full personal protective equipment (PPE). Only visits for essential caring or on compassionate grounds such as end of life will still be permitted and residents are strongly encouraged to not leave the care home for now, again as a precautionary measure.

We expect to hear back from the local Public Health Unit later in the week and hope to be in the position to welcome back visitors soon.

We thank you for your support and understanding.

17 January 2022

Further to previous updates, an additional employee has tested positive to COVID-19. The risk of potential exposure is considered low, however, we continue to ask that you consider delaying your visit for now.

Residents are doing well and our teams are working hard to keep you connected with your loved ones at this time via phone and video calls, wherever possible.

If you do need to visit, you will be asked to wear an N95 mask, face shield and gown, which will be supplied to you. We also ask that you complete a rapid antigen test when you arrive.

We thank you for you understanding and support at this challenging time. We will provide another update later in the week.

18 January 2022

If you’ve had your second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at least four months ago, you’re now eligible to receive a COVID-19 booster vaccination.

All aged care employees are strongly encouraged to receive a booster dose when eligible, to protect themselves and the people they care for. 

Why should I have my COVID-19 booster shot?

• A booster shot works very well at preventing severe illness and hospitalisation, and helps to reduce the severity of COVID-19
• A booster dose will boost your immune response and provide an additional, and important, layer of protection to further reduce the risk of infection
• Evidence suggests that a booster vaccine increases antibody levels that will likely offer protections against new variants of COVID-19
• A booster dose helps keep you, your co-workers, residents and clients, safe whilst being at work

Read more about COVID-19 booster vaccinations here: https://bit.ly/31TcDa8

Is the COVID-19 booster shot mandatory for aged care employees?

At this stage, it is not mandatory for aged care employees to have their booster shot, however it is strongly encouraged and it is quite possible that it will be mandated in the future. In coming weeks, it will be mandatory for aged care providers to report on employee booster doses through the My Aged Care portal. This will be relevant for both residential and community care employees – please note that the information provided is de-identified. The reporting is currently mandated for resident booster shots.

Once you have received your COVID-19 booster shot, please send evidence of your vaccination as soon as possible to payroll@whiddon.com.au

Where can I get my COVID-19 booster shot?

There are a number of clinics that will be held onsite at Whiddon services.  Please find details of this below and a link to book in. You can also use the COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Finder to book an appointment through a local provider close to you.

Please note that the clinics below are available to residential and community staff, in addition to residents located at these sites. You can register to receive your booster dose at the location relevant to you.

To register for your booster dose, please click on https://portal.companymedicalservices.com.au/onsiteregistration/whiddon and use the Referral code: whid123

In-reach clinic locations:

• Whiddon Kyogle clinic: 20 January, 8am – 1pm & 4 March 10am – 1pm
• Whiddon Casino clinic: 20 January, 3pm – 6pm & 4 March 3pm – 6pm
• Whiddon Largs clinic: 27 January, 2pm- 5pm
• Whiddon Moree clinic: 3 February, 10am- 5pm
• Whiddon Easton Park clinic: 7 February, 10am- 2pm
• Whiddon Hornsby clinic: 8 February, 10am- 1pm
• Whiddon Mudgee Pioneer clinic: 24 February, 11am- 4pm
• Whiddon Kelso clinic: 25 February, 9am – 3pm

We thank you for your support and ongoing efforts and dedication to keeping residents, clients and each other, safe.

17 January 2022

Further to our previous communications, here is an update for our Hornsby service. Residents at Whiddon Hornsby are doing well and our teams are working hard to keep residents connected with their loved ones via phone and video calls wherever possible.

On the advice of the local Public Health Unit, in line with Department of Health guidelines, our visitation restrictions continue. We continue to work closely with the local Public Health Unit, who will advise us when visits may be able to recommence and what guidelines may be in place once this occurs. Once we know more about this, we will send a further update. Please note that under the current restrictions, only end of life visits are permitted.

As advised, employees are conducting rapid antigen tests when they arrive for their shift. Unfortunately, we are not in a position to provide rapid antigen tests for use outside of our home.

We thank you for your continued support and understanding at this time.

17 January 2022

Further to our previous communications, here is an update for our Largs service. Residents at Whiddon Largs are doing well and our teams are working hard to keep residents connected with their loved ones via phone and video calls wherever possible.

On the advice of the local Public Health Unit, in line with Department of Health guidelines, our visitation restrictions continue. We continue to work closely with the local Public Health Unit, who will advise us when visits may be able to recommence and what guidelines may be in place once this occurs. Once we know more about this, we will send a further update. Please note that under the current restrictions, only end of life visits are permitted.

As advised, employees are conducting rapid antigen tests when they arrive for their shift. Unfortunately, we are not in a position to provide rapid antigen tests for use outside of our home.

We thank you for your continued support and understanding at this time.

17 January 2022

Further to our last update to you, we have had an additional employee test positive to COVID-19. Employees continue to wear full PPE and we are following the advice of the local Public Health Unit.

We have implemented our COVID-19 Outbreak Management Plan to ensure all necessary precautionary measures are implemented. This includes residents staying in their rooms for now as a precaution. Visitation is still restricted at this time. Only visits for essential caring or on compassionate grounds such as end of life will be permitted and residents are strongly encouraged to not leave the care home for now, again as a precautionary measure.

We understand that this is a challenging time for everyone, but we want you to know that it is our highest priority to keep everyone in our family safe and well, and we are doing everything we can to achieve this. Our teams are working hard to keep you connected to your loved ones during this time via phone and video calls wherever possible.

We will provide a further update early next week.