Jobfit Health Group has been monitoring the global Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and rapidly evolving response measures within Australia to curb the spread.

We are committed to our people, our clients, our patients and our responsibilities and are acting on the advice from the Australian Government and the Department of Health, together with professional medical bodies, while putting our own precautionary measures and initiatives into action.

As a leading occupational healthcare provider, we understand our important role during this time, both as an employer and in supporting the workforce health of those who rely on us each and every day – our clients and their workers.

With an expert team of clinicians at the ready and the infrastructure in place to allow us to continue to adapt to the changing circumstances, Jobfit is continuing to provide accessible care for all.

You can be confident in the knowledge that Jobfit are experts in occupational medicine, and our team is available to assist you and your workforce as necessary.

Jobfit has several support channels available to your organisation to help you manage the risks associated with COVID-19 for your workforce. As a valued Jobfit client, we can provide:

• A comprehensive pandemic procedure plan developed specifically for your organisation
• Senior medical doctor advice, support and governance (Public Health Specialist)
• Onsite symptom screening services at your workplace or premises
• Access to 24/7 TeleHealth services to triage employee concerns regarding COVID-19
• TeleHealth consultations for workplace injuries

Jobfit remains committed to delivering occupational health solutions that meet the specific needs of your organisation. Should you wish to discuss any of these services for your workforce, please contact our Business Development team on 1300 61 61 65 (press 5) or contact us.

Federal and State Governments have recently eased the restrictions around elective surgery and other non-urgent medical services.

As a result, and on advice from relevant medical authorities, Jobfit can now accept bookings for all new pre-employment medicals and periodic medicals which include spirometry testing.

The spirometry testing will re-commence in Jobfit centres only from Monday, 11 May 2020.

We continue to follow the advice from the Department of Health and State Government guidelines regarding precautions that are needed to minimise risks concerned with COVID-19.

As such, we will be implementing a range of additional precautionary measures to ensure ongoing protection against COVID-19 for our staff and your workers. These measures are aligned with the updated position regarding spirometry from The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ).

Deferred spirometry testing

As advised on 26 March 2020, spirometry testing was suspended due to COVID-19 challenges.

Since then, Jobfit has continued to provide pre-employment and periodic medical services without the spirometry component. Interim medical results have been issued, with spirometry deferred to be conducted at a later date.

Significantly, Jobfit is now able to accept bookings for these deferred spirometry assessments. Should you need to facilitate an urgent spirometry test for your worker, please email or call 1300 61 61 65 to arrange an appointment.

Jobfit will contact all clients with deferred spirometry appointments. We will work with you to achieve the best outcome for you and your worker to complete the necessary spirometry testing and finalise the medical result.

Where necessary, we are rescheduling workers and candidates who have a fever, or meet the criteria for a suspected case of COVID-19 as per the criteria outlined by the CDNA (Communicable Disease Network Australia) in order to reduce the risk.

We have implemented a Health Declaration as part of our medical assessment paperwork, and for all visitors to our centres. If a worker or candidate provides a declaration that meets the criteria or presents to our centre as unwell or with flu-like symptoms, they will be asked to leave the centre immediately and encouraged to call their employer or call 1300 61 61 65 and reschedule their appointment.

Our aim is to not have any potential suspected case of COVID-19 attend our Jobfit centres as far as reasonably possible. We are asking our clients to assist us in this regard by asking your workers or candidates if they have travelled overseas in the past 14 days or have flu-like symptoms before making a booking with us. If you need to reschedule a booking for your worker or candidate, please call our Contact Centre on 1300 61 61 65 or email. Clients who use MediManager can simply submit a reschedule request in the system.

Any bookings at a Jobfit centre that are rescheduled due to a suspected case of COVID-19 will not be charged a cancellation or non-attendance fee.

Jobfit is following the advice from the Department of Health and State Government guidelines regarding precautions that are needed to minimise risks concerned with COVID-19.

We are following the recommended health and safety precautions, and are providing advice to our staff via a 24/7 helpline, and a referral for testing if required.

We are ensuring our staff maintains high hygiene standards in our centres, including practising proper hand sanitising procedures, together with sneeze and cough etiquette. We have posters in all Jobfit Centres regarding COVID-19 and aim to minimise the risk of transmission.

All non-essential staff are working remotely, and for essential non-patient-contact staff such as our Contact Centre staff have been split between several locations to minimise the risk of widespread exposure.

We have advised our staff to stay home if they are unwell and self-isolate if necessary.

Jobfit is following the advice from the Department of Health and State Government guidelines regarding precautions that are needed to minimise risks concerned with COVID-19.

We are following the recommended health and safety precautions, and are providing advice to our staff via a 24/7 helpline, and a referral for testing if required.

We are ensuring our staff maintains high hygiene standards in our centres, including practising proper hand sanitising procedures, together with sneeze and cough etiquette. We have posters in all Jobfit centres regarding COVID-19 and aim to minimise the risk of transmission.

All surfaces in our Jobfit centres are cleaned every morning and regularly during the day using an antibacterial, antimicrobial cleaning product that reduces the risk of harmful viruses, moulds, fungus, algae and any other possible harmful pathogenic bacteria.

We are assessing the opportunities for non-essential staff to work remotely and for essential non-patient-contact staff such as our Contact Centre staff to be split between several locations to minimise the risk of widespread exposure.

We have advised our staff to stay home if they are unwell and self-isolate if necessary.

We can all play our part to limit the spread of COVID-19 and stay healthy by following the advice from the Australian Government and the Department of Health which is regularly updated.

For the latest updates go to https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert.

Call the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080 if you are seeking information on Coronavirus (COVID-19). The line operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week If you require translating or interpreting services, call 131 450.