Launch of world’s first global

LAUNCH OF WORLD’S FIRST GLOBAL STANDARDS FOR AGED CARE INDUSTRY RESPONSE TO PANDEMIC

A BEST-PRACTICE APPROACH WILL HELP PROVIDERS STAY THE COURSE

Across Australia the COVID-19 pandemic is having significant and long lasting impact on aged care services. Supported by well-developed aged care and health infrastructures and community infection

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sales@miele-professional.com.au 1300 731 411 www.miele.com.au/professional control measures, Australian aged care providers would appear well placed to address the many challenges of COVID-19. But now, they need to turn to successfully managing the ‘Road to Freedom’.

In the face of continuing exposure to COVID-19, in particular the Delta strain, and a range of challenges—flaws in control measures, lack of preparedness, the continuing distribution of misleading conspiracy and anti-vaccination messages, the reduction and removal of restrictions and government mandates such as compulsory vaccination for aged care workers—providers need to introduce and maintain strict measures for the protection of the older Australians they serve and for their staff.

There are currently no global standards to address this crisis, but progress is happening in Australia.

The Australian-based human services quality advisory group, Standards Wise International, has been developing a wide range of pandemic control procedures to enable aged care providers to meet the challenges of COVID-19 within the context of world’s best practice.

Launched to industry this month is the Pandemic Protective Package—a global first for benchmarking response to COVID-19, as we learn to live with the pandemic and open up facilities.

These procedures, and their underlying policies, are based on a range of measures with the underlying question: ‘What can an organisation do to provide ‘best in class’ protection and reassurance for our most vulnerable citizens as we ease border restrictions and exit our lockdowns, which poses a significant challenge and risk to organisations and operators?’

The global best-practice standards package includes a fast, easy to administer way of allowing organisations to benchmark

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themselves against ‘the world’s best practice’ in pandemic management and go beyond the minimum standards, identifying areas for improvement, and opportunities to be addressed to mitigate risk.

The expert team at Standards Wise International have significant experience in dealing with pandemic response and have used lessons learnt in infection control in Australia and overseas, particularly in the UK and India, two countries significantly more impacted than Australia.

This knowledge base stems from the aged care, disability, health, senior living, hospitality, hotel and cruise line sectors and has been amalgamated, as well as aligned with both government requirements and industry standards (such as ACQS/NSQHS/ARVAS).

The opportunity to help organisations and business to strive for excellence in pandemic management as we open up to COVID-19 is what led Standards Wise International to develop this comprehensive tool to benchmark against, giving them greater assurance through organisations reducing any gaps in front line measures to protect their residents, customers, clients, staff and visitors.

Larger organisations are using Pandemic Protective Package is a self-assessment kit that helps organisations benchmark themselves against industry best practice and easily identify areas for improvement.

Small to medium organisations who require external support can engage Standards Wise to undertake a virtual or onsite assessment on their behalf, from which a gap analysis and recommendations report can be completed.

The Pandemic Protective Package is currently applicable for the following sectors: residential aged care, home care, disability care, small hospitals, allied health providers, hospitality venues, motels and hotels, and travel and accommodation providers.

Providers can also access follow up services including:

• virtual and leader led training for staff in the use of PPE, waste disposal, infection control, rapid induction and outbreak management; • virtual workshops for Boards and senior management; and • various sample pandemic management plans, response strategies, relevant policies, procedures and risk assessment tools.

David Stevens is Managing Director, Standards Wise International. For more information call 02 9089 8881, email pandemicsol@standardswise.com.au or visit www.standardswise.com.au

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