Author: despinao

28 December 2021

We have been informed that an employee at Whiddon Narrabri Robert Young has tested positive to COVID-19. Employees are wearing full PPE and we have closed our care home at Whiddon Narrabri Robert Young to visitors for now. 

We are working closely with the local Public Health Unit and following their advice, and have activated our COVID-19 response plan to ensure all necessary precautionary measures are implemented. Our robust COVID-19 management plan means that we have strict protocols in place to avoid spread of the virus across our care homes.

We have also been conducting rapid antigen testing onsite, to complement our strict screening processes and robust COVID-19 protocols. This will continue at this time.

Those considered contacts of the employee who tested positive, will be contacted directly. 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.

We are also committed to keeping you up-to-date of the situation and will provide a further update once we know more about the situation.

24 December 2021

Yesterday we received further advice from NSW Health regarding visitations during the Christmas period as a result of the current COVID-19 situation in our communities.

Please note the new guidelines below:

• Residents are permitted to have two fully vaccinated visitors aged 12 years and over plus two children aged under 12 years per day
• Visitors aged 12 years and over must have received a second dose of a COVID vaccination at least 14 days prior to their visit.
• Children under 12 years are permitted to visit, provided they are accompanied by a fully vaccinated person
• Where visits include a child under 12, visits are to take place in an outdoor area and if the child is greater than 3 years old they should wear a mask
• Visits must not take place in communal areas and where available, the preference is for visits to occur outdoors.
• All visitors must wear a surgical mask while visiting indoors. For reasons when masks can be removed please see Additional Advice – Mandatory mask wearing.
• Unvaccinated visitors are only permitted to visit a resident who is at the end of life. Please speak to your loved one’s Care Manager directly to gain the necessary approval to visit.

Please note that you must:

• pre-book your visits. Please note that the number of visitors allowed into a home at any one time may be restricted to enable management of capacity limits.
• 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
• refrain from visiting if you are a fully vaccinated person who has been overseas in the last 7 day. Additionally, they must show evidence of a negative COVID-19 test taken on or after day 7 following their arrival
• refrain from visiting if you are not vaccinated and have been overseas in the last 14 days.
• refrain from visiting if you are waiting for a COVID-19 test result
• practice good hand hygiene and socially distance
• wear a surgical mask
• check in to the Service NSW app AND Whiddon’s check-in system when you visit

We thank you for your patience and understanding and wish you a very Merry Christmas. 

24 December 2021

Yesterday we received further advice from NSW Health regarding visitations during the Christmas period as a result of the current COVID-19 situation in our communities.

Please note the new guidelines below:

• Residents are permitted to have two fully vaccinated visitors aged 12 years and over only, per day
• Children under 12 years of age are not allowed to visit
• Visitors aged 12 years and over must have received a second dose of a COVID vaccination at least 14 days prior to their visit
• Visits must not take place in communal areas and if available, visits should occur in outdoor areas
• All visitors must wear a N95 mask while visiting indoors. For reasons when masks can be removed please see Additional Advice – Mandatory mask wearing.
• Visitors may be asked to complete a rapid antigen test as a condition of entry
• Unvaccinated visitors are only permitted to visit a resident who is at the end of life. Please speak to your loved one’s Care Manager directly to gain the necessary approval to visit.

Please note that you must:

• pre-book your visits. Please note that the number of visitors allowed into a home at any one time may be restricted to enable management of capacity limits.
• 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
• refrain from visiting if you are a fully vaccinated person who has been overseas in the last 7 day. Additionally, they must show evidence of a negative COVID-19 test taken on or after day 7 following their arrival
• refrain from visiting if you are not vaccinated and have been overseas in the last 14 days.
• 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

We thank you for your understanding and patience and wish you a very Merry Christmas.

23 December 2021

I am writing to you to update you and acknowledge the challenges with staffing levels over the recent weeks. Whilst it’s important to acknowledge these challenges it’s also important to let you know everything we are doing to try and overcome them.

Firstly, I’d like to thank those of you that continue to come to work each day even when the circumstances are challenging. Your dedication to your team members and our residents has not gone unnoticed and we would like to thank you for your efforts.

Despite all our efforts, unfortunately circumstances continue to challenge us. It is during these times, more than ever we have to work together to ensure we keep each other and our residents safe.

You will be aware that we have had a positive COVID-19 case at Taylor House and in the Admin team. In addition, with the increased COVID-19 community transmission we are experiencing unprecedented levels of staff needing to self-isolate due to being close or casual contacts. At this stage we presently have 50 staff members who are unable to attend their shifts due to needing to self-isolate.  In addition to this we have had:

1. A small number staff who have tested positive for COVID-19, requiring them to not be able to attend work for a few weeks;
2. We have unprecedented numbers of staff requesting emergency leave without notice given and requesting months at a time off;
3. Given the time of year, some staff were approved annual leave, however this was months ago, at the time that this leave could be replaced.

It has never been our intention to place increased demands on staff, however unfortunately, given the circumstances above we are in a situation where there are simply no extra staff to replace the number of shifts that we have. Replacing 50 employees at short notice is very challenging under the best of circumstances.

What are we doing to resolve the issue?

• We are working with People and Culture to assist with recruitment including short term casual placements over the Christmas and Holiday period.
• We have requested support from our local support services team to man the RA Testing stations which will provide us coverage over the Christmas period ensuring any care staff can focus on providing care.
• We have reached out to local universities to recruit students into support or AIN roles.
• We are working with various recruitment agencies to supply temporary staff to fill vacant shifts.

From you we simply ask that if you require time off that you adhere to the policies and provide sufficient notice so that your shift can be replaced and your team mates can be supported.

We want you to know that we are working to improve the staffing numbers at Easton Park and do hope that we see improvements over the coming weeks. We want to thank you for your efforts and support. We are all in this together and as a team we can work towards overcoming the current challenges.

I want you to know that I am very grateful for all you do. In the New Year we will plan a special celebration to thank you for all your efforts.

Kind Regards

Sharon Fletcher
Operations Manager (Easton Park)

We have been informed that an employee at Taylor House at Whiddon Easton Park has tested positive to COVID-19. As a precaution, residents in Taylor House, where the employee works, are in isolation and employees are wearing full PPE across Whiddon Easton Park.

We are working closely with the local Public Health Unit and have activated our COVID-19 response plan to ensure all necessary precautionary measures are implemented. As an additional precaution at this time, employees at Taylor House have undertaken a rapid antigen test today, which have all produced negative results. Whiddon Easton Park has recommenced rapid antigen testing of employees as a precaution for now. Our COVID-19 response plan is robust and ensures we prioritise the safety of residents and employees. At this stage, the Public Health Unit has not recommended employees at Taylor House to self-isolate and as such all employees not directly impacted can continue to come to work and attend their normal shifts.

Our robust COVID-19 management plan has meant that we have limited movement across our care homes and strict protocols in place to avoid spread of the virus across our care homes. As a precaution, we have closed our aged care campus to all visitors for now.

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 Whiddon family safe and well, and we are doing everything we can to achieve this. We are also committed to keeping you up-to-date of the situation and will provide a further update once we know more. We ask that if you have any concerns to please speak to your manager in the first instance. Please also remember our confidential EAP service contactable 24/7 on 1800 818 728.

This afternoon, we will receive further direction from the Public Health Unit about any additional testing of residents and employees. We will provide another update this afternoon once we know more around this. We also take this opportunity to remind you not to post any information on social media about the situation at Easton Park. It is really important that families and employees have one source of truth to avoid undue confusion or stress.

We have been informed that an employee at Whiddon Easton Park has tested positive to COVID-19. As a precaution, employees are wearing full PPE across Whiddon Easton Park. If you are receiving this message, the employee was not working in the care home where your loved one resides.

We are working closely with the local Public Health Unit and have activated our COVID-19 response plan to ensure all necessary precautionary measures are implemented.

Our robust COVID-19 management plan has meant that we have limited movement across our care homes and strict protocols in place to avoid spread of the virus across our care homes. As a precaution, we have closed our aged care campus to all visitors for now. Whiddon Easton Park will recommence rapid antigen testing of employees as a precaution at this time.

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. We are also committed to keeping you up-to-date of the situation and will provide a further update once we know more.

We have been informed that an employee at Taylor House at Whiddon Easton Park has tested positive to COVID-19. As a precaution, residents in Taylor House, where the employee works, are in isolation and employees are wearing full PPE across Whiddon Easton Park.

We are working closely with the local Public Health Unit and have activated our COVID-19 response plan to ensure all necessary precautionary measures are implemented. As an additional precaution at this time, employees at Taylor House have undertaken a rapid antigen test today, which have all produced negative results. Whiddon Easton Park has recommenced rapid antigen testing of employees as a precaution for now.

Our robust COVID-19 management plan has meant that we have limited movement across our care homes and strict protocols in place to avoid spread of the virus across our care homes. As a precaution, we have closed our aged care campus to all visitors for now.

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. We are also committed to keeping you up-to-date of the situation and will provide a further update once we know more.

This afternoon, we will receive further direction from the Public Health Unit about any additional testing of residents and employees. We will provide another update this afternoon once we know more around this.

Single Site Arrangement Ceases

3 November 2021

As you are aware on the 14 August 2021 employees who worked for more than one Aged Care provider were asked to work at one site only as an important infection control measure against COVID-19. We would like to thank all of you who participated in these arrangements for your contribution to protecting your fellow colleagues and our residents.

As of today, providers have been advised by the Department of Health that Single Site Arrangements will cease from the 15 November 2021.

What this means for you is that over the next two weeks we will transition back to our ordinary rosters and you can resume your usual working arrangements.

As a matter of priority please speak with your manager about your own circumstances and resuming your usual working arrangements in line for return to pre-Single Site Arrangements rosters by the 15 November 2021.

Once again, we would like to thank you for your dedication and cooperation over this uncertain time. We understand that for many of you this has been a challenging time, we would like to take this opportunity to remind you about the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). The EAP is a free and confidential counselling service available to all employees and immediate family members. This service can be contacted by phoning 1800 818 728, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

In addition to the above, please don’t hesitate to speak with your manager or contact the People and Culture team.

Have you been considering a Green Change? With our network of care homes across NSW, Whiddon can accommodate both a Sea or Green Change meaning you can build the lifestyle you want.

If you are a Registered Nurse, we currently have opportunities for a Green Change at some of our regional NSW sites. We have permanent full-time roles available at:

• Kyogle
• Moree
• Narribri

We will also have positions available across our other care homes. Click here to see if there’s an alternative location that you would prefer.

What’s on offer

Permanent Shifts: We have the opportunity for someone to join our teams on a full time basis across various shifts so your preferences will likely be accommodated.

Visa options: Sponsorship visas are available for suitable candidates.

Relocation Package: Whiddon will cover the costs related to your relocation via expense reimbursement.

Benefits:

• 5 weeks annual leave
• Extra day off every year
• Long service leave after 5 years
• Salary packaging: pay less tax and keep more of your pay
• Retail discounts such as JB Hifi, RedBalloon, Foxtel and more!
• Novated leasing
• HESTA Fee Relief
• Scholarships available
• 12 Weeks Parental Leave

About the teams

You will be joining a supportive team who genuinely wish to achieve great outcomes for our residents and support each other both inside and outside of work. Our teams welcome new ideas and experiences to complement their dynamics.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the above roles you will require to provide evidence of relevant qualifications and compliance requirements of the industry, which include:

• AHPRA Registration
• Nursing qualifications
• NDIS Workers Check (or willing to obtain)
• Influenza and COVID Vaccination (or willing to obtain)
• Proven skills in clinical care, clinical decision making and palliation
• Proven experience in Aged Care is preferred

If you wish to apply for a position with Whiddon, click below, visit our careers page at or email jobs@whiddon.com.au with a copy of your resume and cover letter.