St John of God Accord resumes group programs at our Community Campuses

The last 20 months have been difficult for everyone in our community and especially for our clients that have been unable to attend any of their programs during periods of lockdown.  

On a positive note we have all welcomed the news from Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) which says it is critical to deliver services to support those most in need including people with a disability, where it is essential for mental and physical health care and safety purposes.

Ultimately what this means is we can offer group programs at our community campuses as long as it is considered essential for an individual’s wellbeing. It is important each of our clients and families makes this assessment and decides that group services are important to them and is required for their health and wellbeing. 

It is important each of our clients and families makes this assessment and decides that group services are important to them and is required for their health and wellbeing.

From our end we will be opening up our community campuses to group programs from Monday the 25 October 2021. 

Most of you should have received a phone call asking whether or not you would like to resume group services. To those that have said ‘no’ this is absolutely fine and we respect your choice but please feel free to contact us at any time that you change your mind and would like to do so. To those that have said ‘yes’ we are excited to be able to offer you this option and can resume services as of the 25 October 2021.

It is however crucially important that we work together to ensure our services are offered safely.

In order to do this we need you to help us by following the steps outlined below each morning before coming to the community campus.

Your commitment to help keep everyone safe:

Each Morning:

1. Please check the Exposure Sites listed on this website: www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/exposure-sites
2. If you have attended any of the exposure sites during the times listed please follow the directions outlined.
3. Please do not attend the community campus and let us know you have been to an exposure site.
4. Please do not attend the community campus if you have any cold or flu like symptoms and let us know.
5. Wear a mask if you can.
6. We encourage vaccination for COVID-19 for our clients.

Our commitment to help keep everyone safe:

1. All our caregivers will follow Accords Covid Safe Plan

2. All our caregivers follow all the directions advised by DHHS including:

• Checking the exposure sites each morning before attending work. 
• Following directions if any exposure sites have been attended.
• Following infection control guidelines. 
• Not attending work if they have cold or flu like symptoms.
• Wearing masks and eye protection.
• Maintaining recommended social distancing guidelines. 
• All our caregivers and contractors comply with the current Public Health Order and organizational policy, and have had a first dose of Covid -19 vaccination by 15th October 2021 and will have had a second dose by the 26 November 2021.

3. We will continuously assess the risk of running group programs and may at any time cancel the programs if we feel we cannot offer them safely.. We will continue to be open and transparent in the event we need to suspend programs at any time.

If you require any further information please don’t hesitate to call the team leaders or manager at the community campuses for advice:

• Greensborough Community Campus – 8468 1111
• Sydenham Community Campus – 8468 1150
• Moreland Community Campus – 0419 801 274

We encourage each of you to remain positive during this period of lockdown as we focus on keeping each other supported and safe. Please call if you have any questions at all and we look forward to a time when we can resume our regular activities without restrictions safely.

Take care,

Silvana Gugliandolo
Director Community Campuses, IS, Quality Risk & Compliance

View Silvana's letter here