There is a pandemic hotline to respond to questions and queries from our Melba community. The hotline number is 1300 MYMELBA (1300 696352). For all other community members, if needed please contact the DHHS Coronavirus 24-hour Hotline number: 1800 675 398.
Dear Friends,
We hope you are doing as well as possible in this new world we are all having to adapt to in order to ‘slow the spread’ and manage the coronavirus pandemic. We know that advice and the restrictions we are required to follow can change frequently. As such we encourage you to regularly check the Melba website for the latest updates and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that may affect you or your loved one: www.melbasupport.com.au
Visits home by people living in group homes
Notably, the latest Victorian Government instruction states if a person supported at a group home or Supported Independent Living service chooses to stay with their family, even for a brief period of time, they cannot return to their Melba supported home until a medical practitioner confirms that they do not have COVID-19 (coronavirus) see the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) FAQ’s.
While we understand that it may be your wish for your family member to visit or stay at your home for a period of time, we need to abide by all social distancing requirements for disability services as advised by DHHS.
Focusing on the most vulnerable
In a previous update, we informed you that Melba’s day services would be temporarily closed from 23 March to 13 April 2020. This was in line with the declared State of Emergency in Victoria. While that State of Emergency is still currently scheduled to end at midnight on Monday 13 April, as you would be aware, the situation regarding the COVD-19 outbreak is still ongoing. We expect the State Government will make an announcement about the State of Emergency in the coming days.
In keeping with our previous advice that we are focusing on maintaining support services for our most vulnerable individuals, our day services and programs (including Community Connections and Arthur Creative) will remain closed until further notice. Similarly, our individual support services and respite services are also focusing on the most vulnerable people we support.
NDIS update: priority home delivery
Finally, if you haven’t heard, a new initiative has been launched today (Monday 6 April) for NDIS participants to receive priority home delivery during the pandemic from most supermarkets. Every NDIS participant will receive an individual code via SMS or email which will give them access to the priority delivery offer. NDIS participants will be able to receive items home delivered. Supermarkets (Woolworths, Coles, IGA and Foodland IGA and Foodworks) will pick items and prioritise the delivery of orders. See NDIS webpage for more information.
Please note it may take up to one week for priority home delivery access codes to activate on supermarket websites. If you or your loved one don’t receive a code, you can contact the National Contact Centre on 1800 800 110 and request a new code.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Melba’s pandemic hotline number on 1300 MYMELBA (1300 696352).
Yours sincerely,
Glenn Foard Hayley Dean
Chief Executive Officer Chief Outcome Officer
