Our Policies

Purpose -

To define the relationships and responsibilities we establish between our executive, management, staff, clinicians, patients and/carers and clients to ensure good clinical outcomes for patients accessing our services.

Scope -

This policy ensures that the general public and clients can be confident that we have systems in place to deliver safe and high-quality health care, monitor outcomes and continuously improve services.

This policy applies to all our programs and staff including:  

• Executive, management, staff  
• Clinical and non-clinical staff  
• full time, part time, casual, permanent or temporary
• contract or commission workers
• volunteers, vocational and work experience placements.

Position -

Vanguard Health is committed to establishing and maintaining the highest standard of service delivery for clients and communities to ensure safe, quality and efficient care.  

The organisation acknowledges the five key tenets of effective clinical governance described in the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. National Model Clinical Governance Framework. Sydney: ACSQHC; 2017.  

• Governance, leadership and culture  
• Patient safety and quality improvement systems  
• Clinical performance and effectiveness  
• Safe environment for the delivery of care  
• Partnering with consumers

Expectations -

We expect our executive and management team (MT), clinical and program delivery staff to understand and take ownership of their roles in ensuring good clinical outcomes for patients accessing our services.  

Our mission is to improve the lives and health of ordinary Australians – wherever they live. We want to change lives.  

To achieve this, our MT are responsible for ensuring the integrity and effectiveness of our clinical governance system including:

• strong leadership and management of clinical services  
• clear roles and responsibilities for delivery of safe care  
• standard processes to ensure that co-designed models of care are developed, followed and improved.
• good use of data and information to monitor performance and risk.
• robust processes to identify and manage risks and issues.

All staff have the responsibility to comply with this policy and report breaches to their managers.  

We expect our managers to model and promote this policy; treat all breaches seriously and attend to them promptly; monitor the work environment and seek expert help for complex or serious matters.

Roles and Responsibilities -

CEO:

• sets strategic direction for the business to ensure commercial success while maintaining strong clinical outcomes  
• approve standard systems, processes and procedures
• Lead by example to establish a safety culture across the business
• monitor organisational performance and accountability  

Management Team (MT):

• provide strong leadership and management of service delivery
• document clear roles and responsibilities for delivery of safe care  
• develop and monitor use of standard processes to ensure that co-designed models of care are developed, followed and improved
• good use of data and information to monitor performance and risk
• implement robust processes to identify and manage risks and issues

Staff:

• use standard systems and follow standard policies and procedures
• maintain skills and qualifications required to deliver role to the required standard

Chief Medical Advisor:

• deliver services within agreed scope of role with a commitment to excellence

Manager, Workforce Solutions:

• Oversight of medical governance and addressing issues if medical in nature  

• provides advice for remedial action for delivery by the management team

• regular clinical audits to be prepared

• Reviewing clinical-related policies

• Oversight of nursing governance and addressing issues if medical in nature  

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Requirements -

Governance, Leadership and Culture:

• Our MT will use an integrated governance system to ensure good operational and clinical outcomes for patients.
• Our MT and Clinical Leads will lead by example to set a high standard and culture of safe and quality care.

Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Systems:

• We have a standard risk framework to identify, avoid, treat mitigate and escalate risks and issues.  
• We have a Risk Register to report and manage near misses and incidents if they occur.  
• Our services are delivered according to best practice and available clinical standards and guidelines.
• Our standard systems and processes ensure safe and quality care for patients and we commit to continuous improvement through our ISO 9001:2015 QMS.  

Clinical Performance and Effectiveness:

• Our people have the right qualifications, skills and supervision to provide safe, high-quality health care to patients.
• We monitor our people’s performance through individual review and audit processes.  
• We have a standard approach to collect, analysing, reporting and acting on performance data and information to continuously improve services

Safe Environment for the Delivery of Care:

• The environment where we deliver care promotes safe and high-quality health care for patients and meets industry standards. Risks and issues are escalated through appropriate channels in the public sector healthcare environment.

Partnering with Consumers:

• We ensure that our stakeholders know their rights and have a voice in the way our services are planned, deployed and checked.
• We have a Feedback Policy to capture feedback from patients/carers or clients when we need

Feedback:

• We continually engage with stakeholders to ensure we are meeting the needs of the client and assisting them to continue to improve their health delivery and outcomes.

Opportunity Areas -

We acknowledge key opportunity areas relating to the delivery of safe and quality health services.  

• Document and Records Management  
• Information Technology  
• Clinical Credentials and Competence  
• Patient and Consumer Rights  

Document and Records Management:

• Documents are managed, stored and disposed of according to our Document Control Policy Procedure and Management of Patient Information Procedure

Information Technology:

• Our IT systems meet industry standards and are protected with robust cyber security systems including access to 24/7 IT support.

Clinical Credentials and Competence:

• We have processes to screen, credential check and monitor/audit the performance of our clinical team/s.  
• We require and will support our people to commit to maintenance and develop of skills and competence through continuing professional development and training.  
• We utilise recruitment and onboarding software to record, monitor and update our clinician’s credentials.  

Patient and Consumer Rights:

• We have a Privacy Policy available to inform patients and consumers of our use of their information.  
• We have standard consent procedures to ensure that patients and/or carers understand their rights and consent to care/media.  

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Consequences -

Any breach of this Policy by a staff member may result in counselling and/or disciplinary action, including termination of employment or cessation of engagement.

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Related Policies -

• Quality Policy  
• Privacy Policy  
• Workplace Health and Safety Policy  
• Recruitment Policy  
• Complaints Policy
• Performance Management

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Related Procedures -

• Management of Patient Information
• Risk Management Framework  
• Management of Patient Complaints  
• Hazard and Incident Management  
• Recruitment and Onboarding
• Document Control Procedure

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Related References -

• Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. National Model Clinical Governance Framework. Sydney: ACSQHC; 2017
• Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. NSQHS Standards for the Clinical Governance Standard and the Partnering with Consumers Standard. Sydney: ACSQHC; 2017

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Purpose:

Vanguard Health must maintain a financial system that meets statutory responsibilities. This policy outlines a set of general financial management principles.

Scope:

This policy covers the role of finance for Vanguard Health.    

Scope includes:

• Budgeting
• Resource allocation
• Revenue and expenditure management
• Transactional procedures
• Payroll procedures
• Internal controls and delegations

Position:

Vanguard Health’s good financial management is not the responsibility of the finance section alone.  It is the responsibility of all Vanguard employees to follow systems and processes that are set up to ensure appropriate financial management.

Vanguard Health has delegated officers for finances to ensure that all functions and duties of finance are managed efficiently, effectively, economically and in accordance with this management policy.

This policy and subsequent procedures aim to enhance the financial management accountability across Vanguard Health to ensure resources allocated are managed soundly.

Expectations:

All employees are to follow this process regarding the management of finance. The finance section of Vanguard is responsible for:

• Data integrity including reconciliation of accounts
• Financial information  
• Appropriate reporting functions
• Invoicing  
• Payroll
• Accounts payable and receivable
• Banking
• Expenditure
• Statutory reporting (where relevant)  

Income Management:

Each operational unit in Vanguard is charged with the responsibility of identifying the customers or clients to be billed for particular services, goods or works provided to them.

Revenue must be promptly recognised and recorded in the accounts. The point at which revenue should be recognised is when Vanguard have a legal entitlement to receipt and occurs according to each contracted project. This will have followed by a claim for payment through an invoice.  Invoices are to be raised as soon as possible after the completion of service or in accordance with the relevant contract.    

All revenue earned is to be banked in to an account named by Vanguard Health against the preidentified project management code.

Revenue Management:

The objectives of revenue management are to ensure that:

• all chargeable revenue is correctly identified, charged, collected, waived or written-off where necessary, subject to proper authority, and recorded on a timely basis, and is correctly classified
• all revenue charged or billed is collectible
• all charges on credit are promptly followed up and overdue debts recovered, unpaid invoices that are more than 3 days overdue are followed up by the Finance Manager
• all invoices raised are properly processed and charged  
• all potential sources of revenue have been identified.

Program managers must identify and document sources of chargeable revenue and establish systems to ensure that chargeable revenue is billed on a timely basis.

Reconciliation of receipts should be completed to ensure that only receipts meeting the requirements of Vanguard and the project are processed.

Credit card charges are to be reconciled against projects by the end of each month.  

Travel expenses: accommodation and flight charges:

All fees and charges must be charged at rates that are consistent with the guidelines of the contract under which the project is delivered.

Labour expenses:

Where an employee of Vanguard is contracted out under a project, income recovery will be sourced from the project expenses.

Expenditure delegations:

Refer to the Human Resources, Financial and Procurement Delegations Policy.  

Consequences:

Any breach of this Policy by a staff member may result in counselling and/or disciplinary action, including termination of employment or cessation of engagement.

taff are not eligible to claim for expenses that are payable as part of their accommodation or travel.  Failure to provide details resulting in an overpayment to the employee that is not disclosed will result in disciplinary action.

Related References:

Nil

Related Policies:

• Quality Management Policy  
• Human Resources, Financial and Procurement Delegations Policy

Definitions:

Delegate  -

A person occupying a position to which a delegation, authority, function or power has been delegated.

Delegation  -

A process where a person holding an authority, function or power authorises another to exercise the authority, function or power.

Financial management:

Financial management is defined as the:  

• planning  

• directing  

• monitoring  

• organising and  

• controlling of the monetary resources of an organisation.

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Purpose:

Vanguard Health is committed to promoting sustainable practices and environmental stewardship in all aspects of its operations. We recognise the importance of protecting and preserving the environment for future generations, and we strive to minimise our environmental impact while enhancing our business performance.  

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognise their rich history and continuing connection to community, land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and elders past, present and emerging.  

This policy outlines our commitment to environmental sustainability and the relevant state and federal legislations.

Scope:

Vanguard Health is committed to supporting environmental sustainability and understand the importance of responsible decision-making factoring in environmental impact when delivering our core business.  

This policy applies to all staff:

• full time, part time, casual, permanent or temporary;
• contract or commission workers;
• volunteers, vocational and work experience placements.

It applies to staff in all their work-related interactions with each other, and with customers, contacts or clients. It applies to staff while in the workplace or off site, at work-related functions, while on trips and attending conferences.

Position:

Vanguard Health is dedicated to complying with all applicable state and federal environmental laws, regulations, and standards. We will continuously monitor and review our operations to ensure compliance and implement necessary measures to meet or exceed these requirements.

Vanguard Health recognises and understands the Environment Protection Act 1994 (Qld) and the Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011.

Vanguard Health complies with all relevant federal, state and local environmental laws and regulatory requirements, agreed standards and all other programs that Vanguard Health subscribes to be aimed at improving environmental performance and improving the sustainability of our activities. Furthermore, we will identify and manage risk to prevent all pollution from any source that is directly or indirectly produced or results from any of our services.

Expectations:

We expect all staff members to embrace and actively contribute to our sustainability efforts. All employees are expected to familiarise themselves with our environmental policy and adhere to its principles and guidelines. This includes complying with relevant state and federal environmental legislation, as well as any internal policies and procedures related to environmental sustainability.

All staff have the responsibility to comply with this policy and report breaches to their managers.  

We expect our managers to model and promote this policy; treat all breaches seriously and attend to them promptly; monitor the work environment and seek expert help for complex or serious matters.

General Requirements:

1. Sustainable Work Practices:

Employees are expected to integrate sustainable work practices into their daily routines and operations. This includes:

- Resource Conservation: Conserving energy, water, and other resources by turning off lights and equipment when not in use, minimising paper usage, and adopting recycling and waste reduction practices.

- Responsible Procurement: Considering environmental factors when making procurement decisions, such as choosing suppliers with strong sustainability practices, opting for eco-friendly products and services, and minimising packaging waste.

2. Collaboration and Engagement:  

Employees are encouraged to actively participate in initiatives and programs that promote environmental sustainability. This includes:

- Teamwork and Communication: Collaborating with colleagues to identify opportunities for improvement, share knowledge and ideas, and implement sustainable practices within their respective roles.

- Stakeholder Engagement: Engaging with stakeholders, including local communities, regulatory agencies, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, to understand their perspectives, gather feedback, and contribute to sustainable solutions.

- Community Involvement: Volunteering or participating in community-based environmental activities or projects that align with Vanguard Health's sustainability goals and values.

3. Reporting and Continuous Improvement:  

We value open communication and employee feedback on environmental matters. Employees are encouraged to report any environmental concerns, incidents, or potential improvement opportunities to their managers. This feedback will help drive continuous improvement efforts throughout the organisation.

Consequences:

Any breach of this Policy by a staff member may result in counselling and/or disciplinary action, including termination of employment or cessation of engagement.

Related References

• Environment Protection Act 1994 (Qld)
• Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011

Related VH Policies

• Workplace Health and Safety Policy

Related VH Procedures:

nil

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Purpose:

To improve business success by adopting a standard approach to the timely and effective management of patient/client feedback with a focus on continuous improvement.  

Scope:

This policy covers complaints relating to health services coordinated by Vanguard Health or provided by health service providers contracted to, or employed by, Vanguard Health. This policy applies to all staff:

• full time, part time, casual, permanent or temporary;
• contract or commission workers;
• volunteers, vocational and work experience placements.

Position:

Vanguard Health is committed to respecting the views of consumers and carers and other persons accessing services provided by Vanguard Health or by Vanguard Health staff employed at a health service. We understand that anyone can provide feedback about any health service delivered by in Australia.

Vanguard Health also acknowledges the role and requirements of the Australian Charter of Health Care Rights and bodies such as the Office of the Health Ombudsman or equivalent in Australian States and Territories.  

Expectations:

We expect that all feedback is:

• acknowledged and responded to promptly and sensitively;
• are assessed considering the risk factors, known facts, the wishes of the complainant and the accountability of health service staff;
• are dealt with in a manner that is effective, complete, fair to all parties and provided just outcomes;
• recorded to enable review of individual cases, to identify trends and risks and for reporting on aggregated complaint information;
• managed to ensure that confidentiality and privacy are maintained.  

All staff have a responsibility to comply with this policy and report breaches to their managers. We expect our managers to promote this policy; treat all breaches seriously and attend to them promptly; monitor the work environment and seek expert help for complex or serious matters.

Requirements:

We require that all employees, contractor and/or agents of Vanguard Health:

• acknowledge that consumers of our services have the right to make a complaint about any service provided by any health service provider, anywhere in Australia;
• are aware of the requirements of the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights;
• complaints specific to the staff or contractors that Vanguard provide are registered within the Vanguard Health feedback register.  
• listed items in the register are regularly reviewed in order to determine if issues need to escalated as defined quality activities and/or added to the risk register;
• fully cooperate with any internal patient complaint resolution process and/or any matter referred to the Office of the Health Ombudsman.

Consequences:

Any breach of this Policy by a staff member may result in counselling and/or disciplinary action, including termination of employment or cessation of engagement.  

Related References:

• Australian Charter of Health Care Rights  
• Office of the Health Ombudsman  

Related Policies:

• Quality Management Policy

Related Procedures:

VH_PRO_Management_Feedback

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We value your privacy

Vanguard Health respects your right to privacy and is committed to safeguarding the privacy of our people, the people who uses our services and website visitors. We adhere to the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

This policy sets out how we collect and treat your personal information, which is information we hold which is identifiable as being about you.

Collection and Storage of Personal Information

Vanguard Health will, from time to time, receive and store personal information you enter via our website, advertising portal, associated patient care provider, or other means, provided to us directly or given to us in other forms. You may provide basic information such as your name, phone number, address and email address to enable us to send information, provide updates and process your product or service order.

We may collect additional information at other times, including but not limited to, when you provide feedback, when you provide information about your personal or business affairs, change your content or email preference, respond to surveys and/or promotions, provide financial or credit card information, or communicate with our customer support. Additionally, we may also collect any other information you provide while interacting with us.

Collection of Health Information

We may collect and store your health-related information, including medical history, test results, treatment plans, and other health-related data necessary to provide you with healthcare services.

How we collect your personal information

Vanguard Health collects personal information from you in a variety of ways, including when you interact with us electronically or in person, when you access our website and when we provide our services to you.  

We may receive personal information from third parties. If we do, we will protect it as set out in this Privacy Policy.

Use of your personal information

Vanguard Health may use personal information collected from you to deliver services and provide you with information and updates about new and additional products, services and opportunities available to you. We may use your personal information to improve our products and services and better understand your needs.

Vanguard Health may contact you by a variety of measures including, but not limited to telephone, email, SMS or mail.

Disclosure of your personal information

We may disclose your personal information to any of our employees, officers, insurers, professional advisers, agents, suppliers or subcontractors insofar as reasonably necessary for the purposes set out in this Policy. Personal information is only supplied to a third party when it is required for the delivery of our services.

We may from time to time need to disclose personal information to comply with a legal requirement, such as a law, regulation, court order, subpoena, warrant, in the course of a legal proceeding or in response to a law enforcement agency request.

We may also use your personal information to protect the copyright, trademarks, legal rights, property or safety of Vanguard Health, www.vanguardhealth.com.au, its customers or third parties.

Information that we collect may from time to time be stored, processed in or transferred between parties located in countries outside of Australia.

If there is a change of control in our business or a sale or transfer of business assets, we reserve the right to transfer to the extent permissible at law our user databases, together with any personal information and non-personal information contained in those databases. This information may be disclosed to a potential purchaser under an agreement to maintain confidentiality. We would seek to only disclose information in good faith and where required by any of the above circumstances.

By providing us with personal information, you consent to the terms of this Privacy Policy and the types of disclosure covered by this Policy. Where we disclose your personal information to third parties, we will request that the third party follow this Policy regarding handling your personal information.

Security of your personal information

Vanguard Health is committed to ensuring that the information you provide to us is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure information and protect it from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, modification and disclosure.

The transmission and exchange of information is carried out at your own risk. We cannot guarantee the security of any information that you transmit to us or receive from us. Although we take measures to safeguard against unauthorised disclosures of information, we cannot assure you that personal information that we collect will not be disclosed in a manner that is inconsistent with this Privacy Policy.

Access to your personal information

You may request details of personal information that we hold about you in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). If you would like a copy of the information, which we hold about you or believe that any information we hold on you is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading, please email us at info@vanguardhealth.com.au.

We reserve the right to refuse to provide you with information that we hold about you, in certain circumstances set out in the Privacy Act.

Complaints about privacy

If you have any complaints about our privacy practices, please feel free to send in details of your complaints to PO Box 1300, Spring Hill, Queensland, 4004. We take complaints very seriously and will respond shortly after receiving written notice of your complaint.

Changes to Privacy Policy

Please be aware that we may change this Privacy Policy in the future. We may modify this Policy at any time, in our sole discretion and all modifications will be effective immediately upon our posting of the modifications on our website or notice board. Please check back from time to time to review our Privacy Policy.

Website

When you visit our website

When you come to our websites (www.vanguardhealth.com.au; www.irisprogram.com.au) we may collect certain information such as browser type, operating system, website visited immediately before coming to our site, etc. This information is used in an aggregated manner to analyse how people use our site, such that we can improve our service.

Cookies

We may, from time to time, use cookies on our website. Cookies are very small files which a website uses to identify you when you come back to the site and to store details about your use of the site. Cookies are not malicious programs that access or damage your computer. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies but you can choose to reject cookies by changing your browser settings. However, this may prevent you from taking full advantage of our website. Our website may from time to time use cookies to analyses website traffic and help us provide a better website visitor experience. In addition, cookies may be used to serve relevant ads to website visitors through third party services such as Google Adwords. These ads may appear on this website or other websites you visit.

Third party sites

Our site may from time to time have links to other websites not owned or controlled by us. These links are meant for your convenience only. Links to third party websites do not constitute sponsorship or endorsement or approval of these websites. Please be aware that Vanguard Health is not responsible for the privacy practices of other such websites. We encourage our users to be aware, when they leave our website, to read the privacy statements of each and every website that collects personal identifiable information.

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Scope:

Vanguard Health provides the following essential services:   

1. Recruitment and placement of a nursing and midwifery workforce in hospitals throughout Australia.  

2. Delivery of specialist medical services providing consultations and surgery in remote and regional Australia. This includes the development of full-service programs for the delivery of health services.

3. Provision of NDIS services.

This policy applies to all staff employed by Vanguard Health (permanent, temporary, full-time, part-time and casual).

Position:

Our mission statements demonstrate our commitment:

Through strong partnerships we contribute to better healthcare and disability services, to enable better lives for ALL Australians.  

We are here for the long-term and will continue to grow by challenging the status-quo, working together to develop innovative solutions.

We aim to exceed our clients’ expectations in the delivery of innovative health solutions to the public, private and non-government health sector.  

Vanguard Health has three strategic business objectives:  

1. Innovate health services  

2. Develop real solutions for clients  

3. Exceed expected results for clients  

To achieve these objectives and satisfy the expectations of our clients, Vanguard Health is committed to maintaining and continually improving a Quality Management System compliant with ISO 9001:2015.  

We are committed to delivering our health services and programs, our health consulting services, our workforce solutions, our administration of membership organization/s and delivery of our corporate office services according to our mission and values.  

Values:

Accountable, Bold, Compassionate and Decent (ABCD)

BE Accountable

Our actions and decisions are delivered with integrity, efficiency and are financially sustainable.

BE Brave (BE Bold)

We challenge the Status Quo, Innovate, Transform, Be Better, Strive for Growth, Embrace change.

BE Compassionate

We go above and beyond to listen, to understand individual needs, to make a difference.  We recognise and embrace each other’s strengths.

BE Decent (BE Honest)

Transparency guides our every action, being upfront, honest and trustworthy.

Principles:

Vanguard Health adheres to the quality management principles described in the ISO standard ISO 9001:2015, Quality Management System Requirements:

• Customer focus
• Leadership
• Engagement of people
• Process approach
• Improvement
• Evidence-based decision making
• Relationship management.  

Expectations:

We empower and expect our team to:  

• UNDERSTAND - why we have a quality management system (QMS), how it works and their role in maintaining it.
• CHECK – be aware of our policies and procedures and regularly check if they need to be updated or improved.  
• ACT – identify and act on approved improvement opportunities and,
• ENGAGE - lead, implement and comply with quality improvement initiatives

Objectives :

Our objectives align with our Vanguard Health Operational Plan which outlines key initiatives in the following four areas:

1. Stakeholders – how we appear to our stakeholders

2. Innovation & Systems/processes – what we improve at to better serve our participants

3. People – maintaining exceptional workplace and making Vanguard Health a great place to work.

4. Financial – to sustain our work financially what should our focus be?

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Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for the return to work of employees following an injury or sickness incurred whilst working with Vanguard Health.  

Scope

This policy applies to all employees, contractors, and volunteers of Vanguard Health.

Return to work plan means a written statement of the steps that will be taken to help the injured employee return to work. It outlines details about suitable duties, restrictions, hours and days of return to work and monitoring arrangements. 

Position

Vanguard Health is committed to  

• ensuring the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees;
• facilitating the prompt, safe and durable return to work of injured or ill employees, regardless of whether the injury or illness sustained is non-compensable or non-work-related; 
• the prevention of accidents, injuries and diseases by providing a safe and healthy working environment (however if any work-related injury or illness occurs, the Company will assist injured staff to return to satisfying, productive employment); and 
• ensuring that no employee is disadvantaged or prejudiced by their participation in a return to work plan. 

Early notification of significant injuries 

Employees are to notify their supervisor or manager, as soon as possible, of an injury. The supervisor or manager will notify the insurer of significant injuries, that is, an injury which requires more than seven (7) days off work. 

The insurer will contact the employee and the employees respective Manager, Vanguard Health along with the nominated treating doctor within three (3) working days. The employee is required to supply the name of a nominated treating doctor who will be authorised to provide relevant information to the insurer, Vanguard Health, and other service providers to facilitate the injury management process. 

For non-significant injuries, the relevant Vanguard Health manager will notify the insurer within seven (7) days. 

Early commencement of injury management 

Should an employee require injury management, a Vanguard Health Manager will ensure the process is commenced as soon as possible after an injury, in a manner consistent with all relevant facts, including medical advice.  

Early commencement of injury management will be facilitated by: 

• Prompt reporting of injury/illness to the insurer; 
• accurate medical diagnosis and early commencement of treatment; 
• liaison by the relevant Vanguard Health manager with the insurer's injury management adviser; and 
• supporting the implementation of an injury management plan, prepared by the insurer (for an employee with a significant injury). 

If an employee suffers a significant injury, the services of an accredited rehabilitation provider may be sought, with the consent of the injured employee and the nominated treating doctor. The rehabilitation provider's role is to establish a return to work plan suitable for ensuring the injured employee's early return to work.  

The Vanguard Health Manager will identify accredited rehabilitation providers in consultation with the relevant parties. Notwithstanding such a selection, an injured employee is entitled to nominate any accredited rehabilitation provider to assist in their return to work plan.

Identification of return to work options 

The injured employee's return to work should take place as soon as possible, in accordance with the medical advice. This may include a staged process and/or may require modification of the employee's working environment, duties and/or hours of duty.  

The injured employee and that employee's supervisor should have a clear understanding of all work restrictions and observe any limitations imposed by the nominated treating doctor and rehabilitation provider (if involved). The supervisor is responsible for ensuring that other employees are aware of any restrictions. 

Following the report of injury, and worker's compensation claim being lodged (pending liability being accepted), and if the employee is still at work, a return to work plan shall be developed by the relevant Vanguard Health Manager in consultation with the parties. It will include:

Identification of return to work options by the nominated treating doctor, the relevant Vanguard Health Manager, the employee, the insurer's Injury Management Adviser and rehabilitation provider (if involved) will provide:

• provision of suitable duties;  
• documentation of the return to work plan; and  
• ongoing review and monitoring by the Injury Management Coordinator.

Provision of suitable duties 

Provision of suitable duties is an essential part of this policy. Careful individual assessment of suitable duties is required before the employee returns to work and each of the parties will be involved in this assessment. 

Choice of return to work duties will be made on the basis of: 

• the nature and severity of the illness/injury;  
• restrictions imposed by the nominated treating doctor;  
• the predicted time frame for the return to work plan;  
• duties available in the employee's division, section, department, or available elsewhere within the Company; and
• the employee's skills, career aspirations, competence and training, and current and potential skill level.
  

Wherever possible, the employee's substantive job will be modified and a graded return to pre-injury duties planned. If this is not possible, other suitable duties will be provided where practicable. Some retraining may be required to equip the employee to undertake any alternative duties.

When suitable duties have been identified and agreed upon by the parties, details will be specified in writing on the return to work plan and will, where applicable, include: 

• the nature of the duties;  
• any restriction to be observed;  
• any changes in work methods;  
• hours and days of duty;  
• anticipated progression toward full duties;  
• date of commencement and date(s) for review; and  
• any changes in conditions of employment.

Review of return to work plan 

The employee's progress on the return to work plan shall be formally reviewed monthly. In addition, the injured employee's supervisor shall undertake reviews on day-to-day basis, liaising with the relevant Vanguard Health Manager, where necessary. Changes to suitable duties will only be initiated (in writing) after consultation between the parties.   

If satisfactory progress is being maintained, the employee may continue in the substantive position while the return to work plan is in place. In some circumstances, particularly if a return to pre-injury duties is considered unlikely or inadvisable, the employee may be transferred temporarily to a position during the return to work process. Employees who transfer to a temporary position retain their salary and conditions of employment while undergoing a return to work plan. Income and benefits for an employee participating in a return to work plan are subject to legislation of the state in which the work has occurred. The Vanguard Health Manager will advise injured employees of their rights and obligations. 

Completion of return to work plan

The injury management plan will cease either when the injury is no longer impacting upon the employee's employment or a long-term accommodation has been made. The circumstances may include when the injured employee: 

• returns to full employment in the substantive position, but with modified duties acceptable to the workplace;
• is appointed to another position within the Company; 
• is deemed by the Company to be unlikely to gain further benefit, or to gain only minimal benefit, from continued participation in the return to work plan; 
• withdraws from the return to work plan; or 
• ceases to be employed by the Company. 

The Company shall try to assist employees with long-term disabilities to find suitable alternative positions. If, after a reasonable time, the injured employee is unable to perform productive work of a kind normally available within the Company, the Company may consider medical retirement or termination of employment. 

Confidentiality

Information relating to an employee on a return to work plan will be confidential and restricted to those involved in providing rehabilitation, treatment and occupational health services. The Company shall adhere to the guidelines set by the relevant state and by the insurer.

Open consultation

The Company will consult with the employee and/or a representative of the employee's choice (if applicable) on any matters arising from the employee's return to work plan. The representative may not be a barrister or solicitor in private practice.  

Any disagreement about the return to work procedures for an injured employee will be discussed at meetings between the parties involved.

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Purpose:

To describe the risk management framework and processes to proactively manage and reduce risks associated with operational management and delivery of health services and programs.  

Scope:

The policy applies to:

• business operations  
• health services including recruitment  
• health program including general program and surgical programs
• any other programs delivered by the company.

This policy applies to all staff:

• full time, part time, casual, permanent or temporary
• contract or commission workers
• volunteers, vocational and work experience placements.

Position:

• Vanguard Health is committed to ensuring a safe and healthy working environment for all employees, contractors and visitors and anyone else who may be affected by the Company’s operations.  

• We have a commitment to exceed our clients’ expectations in the delivery of our health services and programs in the public, private and non-government health sector.  

• To achieve these commitments, we acknowledge that we need to proactively manage risks, including threats and opportunities, associated with our strategic and business operations and tactical delivery of services and programs in a standard way.  

• Vanguard Health acknowledges the AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009 definition of a risk management process as a “systematic application of management policies, procedures and practices to the activities of communicating and consulting, establishing the context, identifying, analysing, evaluating, treating, monitoring and reviewing risk”.  

Expectations:

• Risk management is integrated into the way we do business and all staff are accountable for managing and reporting risks, at all levels of the organisation, in a standard way.  

• Executive and Management team will approve and champion our standard risk management approach and set the risk tolerance for all business operations and service delivery.  

• All staff will commit to a culture where controlling risk is accepted as normal business practice, to using risk management processes and tools, and to create a safe environment for the identification, disclosure, and management of risks.  

• All staff have the responsibility to comply with this policy and report breaches to their managers.  

• Managers to model and promote this policy; treat all breaches seriously and attend to them promptly; monitor the work environment and seek expert help for complex or serious matters.

Requirements:

• Our executive will create and maintain a risk aware culture and ensure that our risk management systems and processes are effective. Staff will be supported to effectively manage risk including open disclosure and escalation of risk management if exceed agreed tolerances.  

• Our executive and management team will discuss strategic and operational business risks as standard agenda items in Management Reviews. This includes a SWOT of business risks, review of internal audits and maintenance as part of our ISO9001:2015 certification.  

• Our managers will comply with standard risk management systems and processes including the use of risk tools.  They will support staff to effectively manage risk including open disclosure and escalation of risk management if exceed agreed tolerances for tactical project delivery.  

• Our staff will be aware of the risks and opportunities associated with their service or program area and actively contributing to the risk management process.

• Vanguard Health has a standard risk management process to assist us to identify, control and manage risks and issues that may impact on the success of our programs during the project lifecycle. This includes establishment of:

• a clear project governance structure
• defined roles and responsibilities
• agreed tolerances and,  
• use of standardised tools and processes to record, measure, avoid, treat, escalate and mitigate potential, emerging or realised risks and issues.  

A risk register has been developed which defines risk tolerances for each program/project and maintained for the program/project lifecycle using the framework below.  Vanguard Health Managers are responsible for the regular updating and review of the risk register to mitigate and/or manage risks as they arise.

• What could happen?  

At the start of a project, we consider the context, identify and group key risks that will impact on the expected outcomes of the project.

• How could it happen?  

Next, we identify the source of each risk i.e., how the risk can occur or what would prevent us from achieving our targets or expected outcomes.

• The impact on the project if the risk happens?

Then, we identify the consequence of each risk i.e., what does it mean to us and the likelihood of it occurring to assess the level of risk to project if it does happen.  

• How to avoid, treat or mitigate it?

Ideally, we aim to avoid a risk occurring through implementation of avoidance strategies to prevent the risk from occurring at all.   If we can’t avoid risks, we aim to treat which involves a plan of action to eliminate or minimise the negative risks or enhance positive opportunities.  If we can’t treat risks, then we aim to mitigate them which may involve a plan to action to minimise the scale of negative impacts of the risk on the project and/or company.

• How well is the risk controlled?

All risk controls are not equal. Our risk framework classifies how effective our controls are in the following way:  Adequate control means that the risk is well controlled, and no further treatment/action is needed.  Marginal control means that treatment/action is not necessary but should monitored closely.  Inadequate control means that treatment/action is necessary.

• What are the risk ratings?

We rate each identified risk according to the likelihood of the risks occurring with controls in place. Ratings are: Almost certain, Likely, Possible, Unlikely or Rare.  We rate the consequence to the project outcomes of the identified risk occurring with controls in place. Ratings are Insignificant, Minor, Moderate, Major, Catastrophic.  A risk rating of Low, Medium, High or Extreme is determined using the risk matrix below.

• Risk Controls and Agreed Tolerances

All open risks in the risk register are reviewed and updated in regular project operational meetings.  

Emerging high and extreme risks are to be escalated by the project manager to the CEO Vanguard Health immediately.  

Project tolerance for time/cost quality are set between the project manager and CEO at the commencement of a project. Any variation to agreed tolerances are to be escalated by the project manager to the CEO Vanguard Health immediately.  

• Roles and responsibilities  

A project governance group is established by the project director at the commencement of each project with oversight of project risk management plan.  

Regular project operational meetings are scheduled with the project delivery team to identify, assess, treat and manage/escalate risks and issues.  

The project manager is responsible for developing and maintaining the project risk management plan including identifying, tracking, treating and escalating risks and issues.  

A project assurance role may also be assigned depending on the scope and scale of the project.

Consequence:

Any breach of this Policy by a staff member may result in counselling and/or disciplinary action, including termination of employment or cessation of engagement.

Related References:

Standards Australia, AS ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management Guidelines (2018)

Related Policies:

Quality Management Policy  

Clinical Governance Policy  

Workplace Health and Safety Management (WHS) General Policy

Related Documents:

Vanguard Health Continuous Improvement Register

Vanguard Health Risk Register

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Introduction

Vanguard Health is committed to operating responsibly andestablishing and adhering to the highest ethical standards. We acknowledge ourresponsibility to respect human rights and are committed to taking steps to ensurethat modern slavery and human trafficking do not occur within our business orsupply chains.

Our Business

Vanguard Health provides a range of healthcare services,including medical and nursing recruitment as well as the delivery of medicalprogrammes, particularly in rural and regional Australia.

Our Commitment

Vanguard Health has a zero-tolerance approach to modernslavery and human trafficking. We are dedicated to acting ethically and withintegrity in all our business dealings and relationships, implementing andenforcing effective systems and controls to ensure modern slavery is not takingplace anywhere in our business or supply chains.

Supply Chains

Our supply chains include the sourcing of technologyequipment, promotional goods and medical equipment necessary for the provisionof healthcare and promotion of our business. We recognise the risk of modernslavery in our supply chains and are committed to working with our suppliers tomitigate these risks.

Due Diligence Processes

Vanguard Health undertakes due diligence when consideringnew suppliers and regularly reviews our existing suppliers. Our due diligenceand reviews include:

• Assessing     potential risk areas in our supply chains.
• Evaluating     the modern slavery and human trafficking policies of suppliers.
• Conducting     supplier audits and requiring suppliers to complete questionnaires.
• Engaging     with suppliers to address any potential risks identified.

Our Staff

We source medical and nursing staff for the provision ofhealthcare services throughout Australia. We recognise the risk of modernslavery to workers throughout the world and are committed to ensuring wemitigate these risks for all our employees and contractors.

Training and Awareness

To ensure a high level of understanding of the risks ofmodern slavery and human trafficking in our supply chains and our business, weprovide training to our staff. We also encourage our business partners toprovide training to their staff, suppliers, and providers.

Reporting Concerns

Vanguard Health encourages all employees, customers, andsuppliers to report any concerns related to our direct activities or our supplychains. This includes any circumstances that may give rise to an enhanced riskof modern slavery or human trafficking.

Review and Continuous Improvement

We are committed to continuously improving our practices tocombat modern slavery and human trafficking. This statement is reviewedannually and updated as necessary to reflect our ongoing commitment to ethicalbusiness practices.

Approval

This statement has been approved by the management team of Vanguard Health and is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and the Modern Slavery Bill 2018 and constitutes our modern slavery and human trafficking statement.

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Purpose:  

The purpose of our Infection Control Policy is to ensure the safety of our patients and staff in the delivery of our health service programs and to comply with best practice national guidelines for infection prevention and control.  

Scope:

This policy applies to all staff, in particular clinical staff working in a health service environment:

• full time, part time, casual, permanent or temporary
• contract, sub-contractor or commission workers
• volunteers, vocational and work experience placements.

It applies to staff in all their work-related interactions with each other, and with patients, carers, contractors or clients.  It also applies to patients, carers and visitors to our health service locations.  

Position:

Vanguard Health is committed to effective infection prevention and control to ensure high quality healthcare for patients and a safe working environment in our health care programs.  

We acknowledge the recommendations and requirements of the Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare (2019).

Expectations:

All staff working in our health care programs will adhere to our infection prevention and control policy and procedures, including the use of equipment for personal protection and cleaning of the clinical environment.

All staff have the responsibility to comply with this policy and report breaches to their managers. Managers will role model and promote this policy; treat all breaches seriously and attend to them promptly; monitor the work environment and seek expert help for complex or serious matters.

Requirements:

We require that all staff, whether or not they have patient contact:

• not come to work if they are sick, particularly if they have a fever or a respiratory illness, such as a cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose or nasal congestion.
• practise good hand hygiene, including taking the five moments for hand hygiene approach when dealing with patients.  
• in addition to standard precautions, follow contact, droplet and airborne precautions based on the risk profile and the suspected or known, clinical presentation of the patient.
• use recommended, fit for purpose, personal protective equipment to protect from infection when delivering health care and when cleaning and disinfecting work areas.  
• educate and ensure that patients, carers and/or visitors use recommended, fit for purpose, personal protective equipment as required.  
• follow the minimum requirements for cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched and minimally touched surfaces in communal, non-clinical work areas.
• follow the minimum requirements for cleaning and disinfection of clinical work areas between each patient, including terminal cleaning as required.  
• follow the minimum requirements for use and disposal of clinical waste including sharps.  
• keep up to date with current and emerging best practice guidelines, requirements and mandatory profession specific competencies for effective infection prevention and control.
• Where applicable: corporate office staff should have an annual flu vaccination supported by Vanguard Health.   Where applicable staff working in hospital and health settings should be vaccinated in accordance with the local State/Territory guidelines for health professionals.

Pandemic response and preparedness

Staff are to follow the guidelines provided by the Commonwealth Government in relation to pandemic isolation and quarantine.  Information on:  

• How do I isolate?
• How long do I need to isolate after testing positive to a pandemic?
• How long do I need to isolate if I’m a close contact?
• How do I look after my mental wellbeing in isolation?
• Can I return to work in a high-risk setting?

All staff employed in should familiarise themselves with the latest updates for Essential Workers by the relevant state government.

All staff employed should familiarise themselves with the Commonwealth Government Guidelines regarding pandemics.

All staff need to be aware of specific state and territory information for close contact and isolation requirements for their place of work.

Consequences:

Any breach of this Policy by a staff member may result in counselling and/or disciplinary action, including termination of employment or cessation of engagement.

Related References:

• Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare (2019)
• Australian Government’s Environmental cleaning and disinfection principles for health and residential care facilities

Related Policies/Procedures:

• Work Health and Safety Policy  
• Injury Prevention Policy  
• Pandemic Policy
• Hand Hygiene Procedure  
• Use of Personal Protective Equipment Procedure  

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Purpose:

The purpose of our injury prevention policy is to improve business success by reducing the number of avoidable and/or preventable injuries in the workplace.  

In addition to general workplace hazards, Vanguard Health recognises that the health care environment has specific areas of risk for workplace injury including, but not limited to manual handling and occupational violence. Infection Control will be addressed in a separate policy.  

Scope:

This policy applies to all  Vanguard Health staff, including Management:

• full time, part time, casual, permanent or temporary;
• contract or commission workers;
• volunteers, vocational and work experience placements.

It applies to staff in all their work-related interactions with consumers, contacts or clients. It applies to staff while in the workplace or off site, at work-related functions, while on trips and attending conferences.

Position:

Vanguard Health is committed to preventing avoidable workplace injuries and illness.  

Expectations:

We expect all staff:

• to follow the prescribed procedures with respect to personal injury prevention;
• to take all reasonable precautions to ensure the health and safety of themselves, co-workers, consumers, and any other key person affected by their acts or omissions; and
• comply with all our procedures concerning the injury prevention of all employees.

All staff have the responsibility to comply with this policy and report breaches to their managers. We expect our managers to role model and promote this policy; treat all breaches seriously and attend to them promptly; monitor the work environment and seek expert help for complex or serious matters.  

General Requirements:

Duties of Executive/Management

Executive and Management are required to:

• keep up-to-date on injury prevention matters;
• monitor workplace conditions to identify potential risks and issues;
• consult employees and empower them to be involved in injury prevention;  
• ensure that staff are supervised and appropriately trained with regard to injury prevention;
• ensure access to the right resources and processes to prevent or reduce the risk of injury of staff and visitors/others;
• implement an “Incident, hazard and near miss” management system.  

Duties of staff

Staff are required to:

• take reasonable care for their own health and safety;
• take reasonable care that their actions do not adversely affect the health and safety of others;
• comply with any reasonable instruction or directions given by Vanguard Health and/or managers to ensure compliance with WHS obligations;
• comply with any company policy, procedure or workflow;
• disclose any pre-existing health conditions (as per the requirements of their employment contract);
• promptly identify, report and record any incidents, hazards or near misses to the relevant manager, in accordance with the procedures;
• use or wear the equipment, personal protective devices, or clothing that are required to be used or worn;
• familiarise themselves with this Injury Prevention Policy.

Right to Refuse

Vanguard Health acknowledges and supports a staff members’ right to refuse using unsafe practices. If a member has reasonable cause to believe that the use or operation of a machine, or device constitutes a danger to themselves, or another person, or that a condition exists in any place that constitutes a danger to the employee, they may refuse to perform the task. This right is limited when the refusal would directly endanger the life, health or safety of another person.

Duties of Visitors and Others

Visitors and Other are required to:  

• take reasonable care of their own health and safety;
• take reasonable care that their actions or omissions do not adversely affect the health and safety of others; and
• comply, so far as they are reasonably able, with any instructions that may be given by the Vanguard Health regarding WHS obligations.

Specific Requirements:

Manual Handling – No Lift Policy

Vanguard Health has adopted a No Lift Policy for all administration and clinical staff who deliver services for the Company.  

For Clinical Staff (including contractors)

All manual handling of consumers that involves manually lifting the whole body, or a large part of a consumer’s weight must be avoided, in all but life threatening situations.

Occupational Violence

Vanguard Health has zero tolerance for aggression and violence directed to staff in the workplace.  

Occupational violence refers to an incident in which a staff member is abused, threatened or assaulted. This includes incidents of clinical aggression and family/visitor aggression and violence.  

It may include:

• verbal, physical or psychological abuse
• intimidating or threatening behaviours
• aggravated assault
• threats with a weapon or object
• sexual harassment and/or sexual assault

Duties of Executive/Management

Managers, supervisors and other akin position holders are required to:

• ensure compliance with policies and procedures of occupational violence;
• ensure that appropriate actions are taken where risk of occupational violence is identified;
• ensure that all front line staff receive appropriate training and instruction (if required) ;
• identify potential violence and aggression risks in the work area;
• encourage staff to report all incidents of occupational violence and aggression;
• investigate all incidents of occupational violence and aggression including risk controls;
• promote a culture that does not accept violence and aggression. 

Duties of Staff

Staff are required to:

• comply with this procedure and other WHS procedures; 
• promote a culture that does not accept violence and aggression; 
• participate in training in the management of violence and aggression in the workplace (if provided); and
• report all incidents and potential incidents of violence and aggression.

Consequences:

Any breach of this Policy by a staff member may result in counselling and/or disciplinary action, including termination of employment or cessation of engagement.  

Related References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) (Part 2)
• Occupational Health & Safety (Manual Handling) Regulation in 1999
• Code of Practice for Manual Handling in 2000
• Office of Industrial Relations, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, Preventing and responding to work-related violence, 2014  

Related VH Policies

• Workplace Health and Safety Policy
• Infection Control Policy  
• Pandemic Policy

Related VH Procedures:

• Incident and Hazard Reporting Procedure  
• Manual Handling Procedure  
• Occupational Violence Procedure  

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Purpose:

To implement health and safety processes within the workplace in relation to the outbreak of communicable viruses and diseases which reach pandemic status.

This is particularly the case when a communicable disease develops into a pandemic, and creates increased risks to our team members, and the wider community.  

Scope:

This policy applies to all staff:

• full time, part time, casual, permanent or temporary;
• contract or commission workers;
• volunteers, vocational and work experience placements.

It applies to staff in all their work-related interactions with each other, and with customers, contacts or clients. It applies to staff while in the workplace or off-site, at work-related functions, while on trips and attending conferences.

Position:

Vanguard Health is committed to ensuring, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of the working environment in accordance with its duty of care and obligations under applicable State-based occupational health and safety legislation.

Vanguard Health also commits to slowing the spread of pandemics, in particular so that the most vulnerable members of the community are protected.

Vanguard Health's decisions involving persons who have communicable diseases will be based on current and well-informed medical information about the disease, the risks of transmission, the symptoms and special circumstances of each individual who has a communicable disease, and a careful weighing of the identified risks and the available alternative for responding to an employee with a communicable disease.

Expectations:

The pandemic policy includes a comprehensive set of measures aimed at reducing the spread of communicable viruses and diseases and protecting staff and public health. This includes guidelines on social distancing, mask-wearing, hand hygiene, and other preventive measures.

The requirements for this pandemic policy may vary depending on the specific context, severity of an outbreak, and the available scientific knowledge at the time. The policy should be regularly reviewed, updated, and adapted based on evolving situations and the latest scientific evidence.

COVID-19 specific expectations

The COVID-19 pandemic requires a uniquely focused approach to work health and safety (WHS) as it applies to businesses, workers and others in the workplace.  

To keep our workplaces healthy and safe, we must work together to look at the way we work, identify how we must do things differently, understand the risks and manage and control measures to address those risks. This is especially the case in our health service locations.  

We expect that as COVID-19 restrictions are gradually relaxed, we will continue to adapt and promote safe work practices, consistent with advice from health authorities, to ensure our workplaces comply with the measures required to keep everyone safe and well.  

We will prepare for the possibility that there will be cases of COVID-19 in the workplace and will be ready to respond immediately, appropriately, effectively and efficiently, and consistent with advice from health authorities.  

All staff have the responsibility to comply with this policy and report breaches to their managers. We expect our managers to model and promote this policy; treat all breaches seriously and attend to them promptly; monitor the work environment and seek expert help for complex or serious matters.  

Requirements:

Duties of Executive/Management

Executive and Management are required to:

• Protect staff from the risk of exposure to communicable viruses and diseases (including COVID-19) by implementing working from home arrangements, requiring workers to practice physical distancing, requiring workers to practice good hygiene, requiring workers to stay home when sick, and cleaning the workplace regularly and thoroughly. 

• Protect visitors and others from the risk of exposure to communicable viruses and diseases (including COVID-19) by requiring them to practice physical distancing, including through contactless deliveries and payments, requiring them to practice good hygiene, and requiring others to stay away from the workplace, unless essential, e.g., such as family, friends and visitors.  

• Maintain the workplace to ensure the work environment does not put staff and others at risk of contracting communicable viruses and diseases (including COVID-19) by cleaning the workplace regularly and thoroughly, restructuring the layout of the workplace to allow for physical distancing, and limiting the number of people in the workplace at any given time. 

• Provide adequate facilities, suitable to the work environment, to protect staff and others from contracting communicable viruses and diseases (including COVID-19) including the adequate supply of appropriate personal protective equipment and fit for purpose cleaning supplies, washroom facilities with adequate supply of soap, water and paper towel, hand sanitiser, and staff rooms that are regularly cleaned and allow for physical distancing. 

• Provide staff with any information or training that is necessary to protect them from the risk of exposure to communicable viruses and diseases (including COVID-19) arising from their work including providing guidance on how to properly wash hands, training workers in how to fit and use any necessary personal protective equipment (PPE),  training staff to exercise adequate cleaning practices throughout the day, providing workers with instructions on how to set up a safe home workplace, and providing workers with instructions on staying home from work if sick.

• Consult with staff on health and safety matters relating to COVID-19.  

Duties of Staff

Staff are required to:

• take reasonable care for their own health and safety.
• take reasonable care that their actions do not adversely affect the health and safety of other people.
• Comply with all workplace procedures and practices to protect themselves and others from the risk of exposure to communicable viruses and diseases (including COVID-19)
• undertake testing as available to determine any positive cases of communicable viruses and diseases (including COVID-19)
• promptly identify, report and record any confirmed or potential risks of exposure to communicable viruses and diseases (including COVID-19) to the relevant manager, in accordance with the procedures.
• use or wear the equipment, personal protective devices, or clothing that are required to be used or worn.
• familiarise themselves with this Policy.

Duties of Visitors and Others

If a person is not staff , but attends the Company’s premises (for example, visitors), they must:

• take reasonable care for their own health and safety.
• take reasonable care that their actions do not adversely affect the health and safety of other people.
• comply, so far as they are reasonably able, with any instructions that may be given by the Vanguard Health to protect themselves and others from the risk of exposure to communicable viruses and diseases (including COVID-19).  
• use or wear the equipment, personal protective devices, or clothing that are required to be used or worn.

Special Requirements:

Leave – Pandemic

Subject to the National Employment Standards and any applicable Modern Award or Enterprise Agreement, we will discuss leave options with a staff member who is unwell, unable to get to work for any reason (including in relation to travel restrictions), directed by us to obtain a medical certificate or not come into the workplace; and/or is required to self-isolate or be in quarantine.  

We will discuss options with staff in relation to their ability to work from home and/or whether they would like to take annual leave, personal leave and/or unpaid leave for the period they are not able to carry out their regular duties.

We will genuinely consider any feedback from the staff member and then make a determination as to following steps. The staff member agrees to follow any determination made by us.  

We note that subject to any applicable Modern Award or Enterprise Agreement, if an employee is directed to obtain a medical certificate by Vanguard Health, but is otherwise feeling well, the staff member will be paid for their normal working hours up until the test results are obtained.  

Work from home

We will consider all staff requests to work from home, or from another location (away from the workplace) (off-site). We will then confirm in writing whether the request is accepted or not.

At any time, we may direct one or more staff members to work from home, or off-site.  

Staff agree to follow any such direction, and when requested:

• provide daily/periodic updates to a specified person as to their current health and wellbeing
• ensure their workspace is conducive to working
• remain contactable and available to undertake work as reasonably directed during the applicable period
• and perform tasks not ordinarily performed by the employee in the ordinary course of their duties, but which are reasonable, fall within their general skills and experience and can be undertaken remotely.  

Consequences:

Any breach of this Policy by a staff member may result in counselling and/or disciplinary action, including termination of employment or cessation of engagement.

Related References:

• National COVID-19 Safe Workplace Principles  
• Workplace Checklist COVID-19  
• Australian Government, Coronavirus (COVID-19) advice for the health and aged care sector
• Refer to local state health regulations and policies regarding vaccine mandate or requirements

Related Policies:

• Workplace Health and Safety Policy  
• Infection Control Policy  
• Injury Prevention Policy  

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Purpose:

To improve business success by taking a proactive approach to ensuring a safe and healthy working environment for all employees, contractors and visitors and anyone else who may be affected by the Company’s operations.  

Scope:

This policy applies to all Vanguard Health staff including Management:

• full time, part time, casual, permanent or temporary;
• contract or commission workers;
• volunteers, vocational and work experience placements.

It applies to staff in all their work-related interactions with each other, and with customers, contacts or clients. It applies to staff while in the workplace or off site, at work-related functions, while on trips and attending conferences.

Nothing in this policy requires the Company to manage its work health and safety systems in a particular way. The Company reserves the right to adopt a different process to that set out in this policy.

Position:

Vanguard Health is committed to ensuring a safe and healthy working environment for all employees, contractors and visitors and anyone else who may be affected by the Company’s operations.  

It aims to be proactive in preventing workplace incidents and ensuring all work activities are done safely.

Vanguard Health acknowledges the requirements of the Work Health Safety Act 2011 and Safe Work Australia, the national statutory body established in 2008 to develop national policy relating to WHS and workers’ compensation.

Expectations:

As an employer, we aim to:  

• provide and maintain, so far as is reasonably practicable, work environments (including equipment and systems of work) that are safe and without risk to health.
• provide adequate facilities for the welfare of employees and other persons at work.
• provide information, instruction, training and supervision.
• monitoring and auditing of the health of employees and workplace conditions in to prevent illness and injury arising from the conduct of the Company’s business.
• consult with employees on matters of health and safety, directly with employees.

Employees have a responsibility to themselves and each other to ensure, where it is reasonably practicable, that both the place of work and the Company’s work practices are safe. As such, the Company encourages and seeks to facilitate open communication between employees and Management to ensure work health and safety.  

All staff have the responsibility to comply with this policy and report breaches to their managers. We expect our managers to model and promote this policy; treat all breaches seriously and attend to them promptly; monitor the work environment and seek expert help for complex or serious matters.

Core features of our WH&S Management Plan:

The core features underpinning our WH&S Management Plan:    

• Safety Culture
• Accountability and Leadership
• High Reliability
• Safety Learning
• Patient Involvement

Vanguard Health’s General Requirements for Safe Work:

Vanguard Health will provide the following to ensure a safe work environment for our employees:

• Point out any potential risks involved in the task
• Tell you how to eliminate that risk to avoid injury or damage
• Provide a safe work environment
• Provide safe ways of working
• Ensure safe use, handling and storage of equipment and substances
• Provide and maintain adequate facilities
• Provide any information, training, instruction or supervision needed for safety and clearly explain how to perform task
• Monitor the health of workers and conditions at the workplace.

Vanguard Health employees requirements for Safe Work:

Employees working with Vanguard Health also have WHS obligations to themselves and other at work. Employees must:

• take care of their own health and safety
• take care not to do anything that could hurt others
• follow WHS instructions
• follow the workplace’s WHS policies and procedures.

General Requirements:

Duties of Executive/Management

Managers, supervisors and other akin position holders are required to:

• keep up-to-date on WHS matters.
• monitor workplace conditions – identify issues that need to be actioned, including those raised by employees.
• consult employees on WHS matters to give them the opportunity and training to be involved in matters affecting the Company and their work.
• ensure that employees are supervised and appropriately trained with regard to WHS matters.
• understand operations, as well as the control mechanisms, processes and systems used to comply with the Company’s WHS duties.
• Ensure that the right resources and processes are available to eliminate or minimise risks to health and safety of employees and non-employees.
• implement adequate mechanisms for receiving, considering and acting on information regarding incidents, hazards and control mechanisms.

Duties of employees

Employees are required to:

• take reasonable care for their own health and safety.
• take reasonable care that their actions do not adversely affect the health and safety of other people.
• comply with any reasonable instruction or directions given by the department to ensure compliance with WHS obligations.
• co-operate with any policy, procedure or guideline of the Company.
• promptly identify, report and record any WHS risks or incidents to the relevant manager or HR representative, in accordance with the procedures.
• familiarise themselves with this WHS Policy.

Duties of visitors and non-employees

If a person is not an employee, but attends a Vanguard Health premise (for example, visitors), they must:

• take reasonable care of their own health and safety;
• take reasonable care that their actions or omissions do not adversely affect the health and safety of others, and
• comply, so far as they are reasonably able, with any instructions that may be given by the department regarding WHS obligations.

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Specific Requirements:

Emergency Evacuation Procedure

In the event of an emergency in or around the Company’s office or service location, employees will be given appropriate instruction. The Company and its managers must ensure that employees are familiar with the location of the premise’s emergency exits and evacuation procedures.

If an evacuation is announced, all employees are to leave the building immediately by following the exit signs and assemble in accordance with the premises’ evacuation procedure.  Details of the evacuation procedure and exit signs should be located at various points around the premises.

Employees Working Remotely

For employees who are working remotely Vanguard Health takes good communication with our employees seriously. We ensure that there is regular and clear communications with our employees to set realistic and clear instructions on workload, roles and tasks, to monitor work levels and to identify any potential safety risks.

Employee Mental Health

Vanguard Health makes all attempts to eliminate or minimise psychosocial risks arising from work as far as is reasonably practicable, including when staff are working in regional and remote communities. 

Vanguard Health takes all necessary steps to manage risks to our employees’ mental health where reasonably practicable including: 

• maintaining regular communication with employees  
• encouraging regular communication between employees 
• making sure employees are effectively disengaging from their work and logging off at the end of the day
• eliminating or minimising physical risks (as these may contribute to psychosocial risks)
• providing workers with a point of contact so they can alert you promptly of any change in their circumstances or discuss any concerns, including how to access a health and safety representative (HSR)  
• ensuring employees know where to access information about mental health and other support services available, 
• responding appropriately to signs a worker may be struggling with their work eg. issues with remote work, changed behaviour, and informing employees about accessing their entitlements.

Reporting Accidents and Injuries

All accidents, injuries and ‘near misses’, whether occurring at work or whilst travelling to and from work, must be reported immediately to the employee’s manager (or if that person is not available, to another person with Management responsibilities) or complete the relevant Incident Report Form.

Appropriate paperwork will be prepared by the Company for completion by the relevant employee(s), to ensure that all accidents, ‘near misses’ and other incidents are appropriately actioned.

Hazard and Risk Identification and Resolution

The Company, Management and employees should understand and have procedures in place to identify, assess and control workplace hazards, as well as employ measures to review those controls.

If a potential hazard has been identified, the Company, manager or employee should report the hazard or risk as soon as possible, irrespective of how small or insignificant it may seem. Once identified, the severity of the hazard should be assessed and appropriate control measures should be determined and employed to reduce or if reasonably practicable, eliminate the hazard. The implemented control measure should be reviewed and adjusted, where and if necessary. Any ongoing identified risk, or one that could reoccur), should be added by management to the Risk Register.

Workers Compensation and Injury Management

Any person who sustains an injury requiring medical attention and/or time off must complete the necessary Work Cover Forms and obtain a worker’s compensation medical certificate from the treating doctor. All injuries must be brought to notice to the appropriate manager as soon as possible.  

Together with Work Cover and the employee’s treating doctor, the Company will coordinate a suitable return-to-work plan for any employee who requires it.

Consequences:

Any breach of this Policy by a staff member may result in counselling and/or disciplinary action, including termination of employment or cessation of engagement.

Related References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Safe Work Australia  

Related Policies

• Injury Prevention Policy
• Infection Control Policy  
• Pandemic Policy

Related Procedures

• Emergency Evacuation Procedure  
• Incident and Hazard Reporting Procedure  
• Injury Management Procedure  

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