COVID-19 Policy

POLICY ON FACE -TO- FACE SESSIONS DURING ONGOING COVID19 PANDEMIC

We are grateful for the flexibility you have shown and will continue to show as we adjust to the changing needs of managing this pandemic safely and responsibly.

Attending a face-to-face session at Ocean Psychology requires that all clients adhere to the current Australian Public Health policy to:

Maintain social distancing (1.5 metres)
Take all precautions to avoid the spread of illness, including regular hand washing.

Face-to-Face appointments are offered on the following conditional basis:

ILLNESS

Please request a Telehealth appointment and DO NOT attend the practice in person if you are experiencing:

Sore throat
Runny nose
Fever
Cough
Respiratory Symptoms
Loss of taste or smell OR
If you have been exposed to a respiratory illness.

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If you have any doubt about your symptoms request a Telehealth Session* and stay home. If you arrive with any of these symptoms, you will be asked to leave and you may be charged for your appointment. You will be offered the option of proceeding with a Telehealth session from your vehicle. If you opt for a cancellation rather than Telehealth, a cancellation fee may apply if less than 24 hours’ notice has been provided. Please refer to your Psychologist regarding cancellation policy.

*Medicare rebates will be applied to your Telehealth session where applicable.

All psychologists working at Ocean Psychology will adhere to the above. Therefore, your psychologist may need to, with very short notice, move your appointment to Telehealth in the event of a cold or flu or family disruption. If this occurs, you will be contacted as soon as possible. Every effort will be made to give you as much notice of this, but this may unfortunately need to be a last- minute change. A cancellation fee will not apply if the session is cancelled by the therapist.

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TRAVEL

If you have travelled either overseas or interstate, even if you have had an exemption for work purposes, we ask that you do not attend the Centre for 14 days after your return. Your appointment can be held via Telehealth. Medicare rebates will be applied to your Telehealth session where applicable.

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PHYSICAL SPACE

Waiting Room

Wherever possible, please enter the waiting room only at your designated appointment time. If there is a waiting time before seeing your psychologist please ensure social distancing requirements are adhered to.
Please do not bring additional people with you to your appointment, unless absolutely necessary
Please sanitise your hands on arrival.
Please use your own pen wherever possible, or sanitise hands prior to using shared stationery.
Your Psychologist may no longer be providing warm drinks or water at this stage, so it is recommended that you bring your own to your appointment.

Therapy Room

Hand sanitiser must be used before entering the therapy room.
Your Psychologist will open the therapy room door for you upon entering and leaving.
The therapy rooms are large enough to ensure we can remain physically distanced.
Therapy rooms will be ventilated between sessions by opening windows. You may be given the option of windows being open during the whole session. Please be aware this may reduce the privacy of the room.

Paying for therapy

Please use hand sanitiser prior to using the EFTPOS terminal

Further steps being taken to prevent the spread of germs

All hard surfaces will be cleaned regularly with disinfectant.
Any surfaces of points of contact will be cleaned between clients.
Some soft furnishing items and room decorations have been removed from the space.
Forms and measures will be emailed wherever possible.

AFTER SESSIONS

If within 14 days of attending therapy you begin to display symptoms of COVID-19, test positive or are contacted by the Australian Government track and trace service, you are required to inform your Psychologist as soon as possible. If your Psychologist displays symptoms, they will provide your details to track and trace as well as contacting you directly.

Psychologists at Ocean Psychology reserve the right to move swiftly back to Telehealth-only sessions in the event of a need for another regional or national lockdown.