MONDAY, 3 AUGUST 2020
Victoria’s COVID-19 Restrictions and impact on delivery of exercise services
An overview of what you need to know is presented below. This guidance will remain in place for the next six weeks, at least until 13 September, 2020 or unless the Government introduces even tougher restrictions.
Please ensure you join the Victorian Facebook group for more immediate updates.
ESSA is committed to monitoring changes from both the Victorian and Australian Governments and updating you promptly.
We ask that all Victorian members support the Victorian Government to minimise the risk of community transmission and ensure the safety of all Victorians.
The Government is directing all Victorians to work from home where practical to limit transmissions. Our recommendations focus on limiting travel by clients.
Our advice is often ahead of government advice and we do this deliberately to ensure that your health and the health of your clients and family remains a priority.
WHAT CAN AN AEP DELIVER DURING STAGE 3 and 4 LOCKDOWN RESTRICTIONS?
Accredited Exercise Physiologists working in metro Melbourne and regional Victoria are strongly advised to transition as many clients as you can to telehealth. Do not wait to do this. Make plans to do this immediately.
The risk of community transmission is still extremely high and rising; and it is very hard to justify delivering in-person clinical care which is not of a critical or urgent nature. Please consider the safety of your clients and your own health and only offer in-person clinical care after a thorough risk stratification process. Clinical care is services which are based on a referral from a registered medical practitioner (General practitioner and/or medical specialist).
An AEP can deliver essential clinical exercise in the following ways:
In-person private practices:
• For in-person AEP services, up to 10 practitioners and clients in total in a clinic at any one time (e.g. could be 2 x AEPs delivering group classes for 3 clients in each class and 2 x AEPs providing individual consults) providing all social distancing and density requirements can be met. If a practicum student is involved, then the student is counted in the total of 10 people.
• For in-person group AEP services, 3 clients in a group and 1 AEP (4 people in total) for essential allied health clinical care for in-person group AEP classes based on clinical judgement of AEP. Up to two groups in separate spaces at one time if density and social distancing requirements can be met. If a practicum student is involved with a group class, then only two clients are allowed (4 people in total). ESSA supports the continuation of clinical group services to accommodate those clients who may not otherwise be able to afford 1:1 healthcare.
In-person home visits: ESSA does not recommend home visits in metro Melbourne at this time unless your client needs critical or urgent nature.
Outdoor services: ESSA recommends all outdoor services cease.
Online services: You can still operate online.
Hospitals, emergency services, COVID-19 clinics: Operate within the guidance coming from your employer.
WHAT CAN AN AES DELIVER DURING STAGE 3 and 4 LOCKDOWN RESTRICTIONS?
Under Stage 3 and 4 restrictions, all non-essential indoor exercise services and non-essential workplaces (gyms, fitness centres, health studios and swimming pools) are closed. This means that in-person personal training, in-person boot camps, indoor gyms, indoor sport centres and venues; health clubs; class based fitness studios are all CLOSED. Outdoor gyms are also closed.
An AES in regional Victoria can provide exercise services under Stage 3 in the following ways:
Essential NDIS services: As either a personal trainer OR as an allied health assistant (supervised). Essential services provided under the NDIS are those deemed by the NDIS participant to be an essential service.
Allied health assistants: As an allied health assistant under supervision of an allied health professional e.g. such as assisting the delivery of an essential clinical service in an AEP or multi-disciplinary practice.
Outdoor services:The current restrictions in regional Victoria for exercise services are limited to 1 instructor and 2 participants in an outdoor setting such as a park.
Under Stage 3 lockdown conditions, AES cannot continue to deliver exercise services indoors to healthy populations or provide personal training, even within an allied health clinic, apart from NDIS services.
An AES in metropolitan Melbourne under Stage 4 can provide exercise services in the following ways:
Allied health assistants: As an allied health assistant under supervision of an allied health professional e.g. such as assisting the delivery of an essential clinical service in an AEP or multi-disciplinary practice.
Online services: You can still operate online.
Outdoor services: All outdoor fitness/personal training services need to cease.
NDIS: ESSA does not recommend that AES operate within the NDIS as in-person personal trainers.
Concern with the continuation of non-clinical health care services
ESSA is concerned that some private exercise physiology or allied health practices are continuing to offer non-clinical exercise services for healthy clients (e.g. indoor fitness or personal training services that do not address a specific clinical goal). Under the Victorian Stage 3 and Stage 4 restrictions, private practices can only provide clinical exercise physiology services or group classes in clinics by appointment.
ESSA members and accredited professionals that are not following the Victorian public health directions are seriously putting their businesses and teams at risk of fines and risking their insurance cover.
ESSA will be writing the Victorian Chief Allied Health Officer and alerting her of these concerns.
Checklist
For a detailed checklist of what you can and cannot do, then refer to our updated Victorian Requirements and Recommendations.
This includes all the requirements on masks and PPE and travel by clients.
Mental Health
Call Beyond Blue (1300 224 636), or look at the Government’s digital mental health gateway, Head to Health if you need help.