Provision of supports environment

Safe environments

Supports should be provided to a participant in a safe environment that is appropriate to their needs.

• Participants must be able to easily identify workers who provide supports to them.
• Work should be under taken with the participant to ensure a safe support delivery environment for where the supports will be provided, this may include their own home.
• Where relevant work should be undertaken with other providers and stakeholders to identify and manage risks to participants and properly mitigate them.
• Participants who require support with communication there are clear arrangements in place for staff to understand their communication needs and to assist them effectively.
• Protocols must be in place for participants regarding how to respond to medical emergencies.
• Staff who provide supports to participants must be trained in how to respond to their medical emergencies.
• Systems of escalation are established for participants with urgent health situations.
• Infection Control and prevention standards are implemented throughout all settings with participants.
• Routine environmental cleaning is conducted in settings where supports are to be delivered (excluding their own homes).
• Staff must be trained in infection control and prevention standards including hand-hygeine practices, respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette.
• Staff should where required use PPE when delivering supports to a participant.
• PPE should be available to each worker and participant when and if they require it.

Participant money and property

Participant money and property is secure and each participant should have control over their own money and property.

• If a provider has access to a participant's money then processes should be in place to ensure that it is managed, protected and accounted for. Participant's money or property should only be used with the participant's consent and for the participant's intended purpose.
• If required participants should be supported to access and spend their own money as they determine.
• Participants should not be provided with financial advice or information other than that which would be reasonably required under their plan.

Management of medication

Participants who require medication should feel confident that their provider administers, stores and monitors the effects of their medication and works to prevent errors or incidents.

• Records clearly identify the medication and dosage required by each participant including all information to correctly identify the participant and to safely administer the medication.
• All staff responsible for administering medication should be aware of the effects and side-effects of the medication and steps to take in an incident involving medication.
• All medications should be stored safely and securely and can be easily identified, differentiated and only accessed by appropriately trained staff.

Mealtime management

Participants who require mealtime management should receive meals that are nutritious and of a texture that is appropriate to their individual needs, appropriately planned and prepared in an environment that meets their individual needs and preferences.

• Providers identify each participant requiring mealtime management.
• Participants should have their mealtime needs assessed by a qualified practitioner who can assess nutrition and swallowing capacity, assess seating and positioning requirements for eating and drinking, and provide plans that outline the above for support workers.
• With consent each participant should be involved in the assessment and development of their mealtime management plan.
• Staff responsible for providing mealtime management should understand the plan and the participant's needs and appropriate steps to take if safety incidents occur during meals, such as coughing or choking on food or fluids.
• Mealtime management plans should be easily available to participants and the workers who are assisting them.
• Staff who are responsible for mealtime management should be trained in the preparation and provision of safe meals with participants that would reasonably be expected to be enjoyable and proactively managing emerging and chronic health risks related to mealtime difficulties including how to seek help in such a scenario.
• Effective planning is in place to develop Menus with each participant requiring mealtime management supports.
• Participants who have chronic health risks (such as swallowing difficulties, diabetes, anaphylaxis, food allergies, obesity or being underweight) are assisted to proactively manage those risks.
• Procedures are in place to help workers prepare and provide texture-modified foods and liquids in accordance with their mealtime management plan and to check that meals for participants are of the correct texture as identified in their plans.
• Meals that may be provided to participants are stored safely and in accordance with health standards, and can be easily identified as meals to be provided to participants.

Management of waste

Each participant, worker and any other persons are protected from harm as a result of exposure to waste, infectious or hazardous substances generated during the delivery of supports.

• Policies and procedures are in place for the safe and appropriate storage, handling and disposal of waste and infectious or hazardous materials (including used PPE) and each policy complies with current legislation and local health district requirements.
• All incidents involving infectious or hazardous material are reported, recorded, investigated and reviewed.
• An emergency plan is in place to respond to clinical waste or hazardous substance management issues.
• Each Staff member involved in the management of waste is trained in the safe and appropriate handling of the waste including the use PPE required when handling the waste.