Achieve Australia has been asked to extend its participation on the NDIA’s Participant Contingent Care Panel for 12 weeks. Achieve first joined the panel on 27 July 2021 and the extension is effective from 27 October.

The other NSW panel members are Aruma, Life Without Barriers and Northcott. The panel has been working together to provide advice and support to the disability sector on COVID issues.

Achieve Australia CEO Jo-Anne Hewitt said Achieve’s high-level of COVID preparedness and willingness to provide support to the sector was the reason the organisation was asked to join the panel.

“The panel has enabled us to formalise the informal support we have been providing to the sector for some time,” Ms Hewitt said.
“We are very pleased to share everything we have learnt to help keep people with disability COVID-safe,” she said.

“During our time on the panel, we have been able to support the development of policy and process around responding to COVID outbreaks based on work we carried out last year and refined this year.”

The NDIA Participant Contingent Care Panel meets three times per week during the busines week to discuss relevant topics and respond to specific requests for advice and resources on managing COVID safety. The panel also make presentations to the sector every fortnight on different topics including on how to manage specific COVID-related scenarios.

General Manager of Quality and Practice Leadership, Tina McManus, is Achieve Australia’s representative on the panel. Ms McManus said the panel is very collegiate, sharing knowledge, expertise, policies, procedures, and experience from their organisations to help the sector and to respond to specific requests for assistance or advice.

Requests have been received from families as well as service providers. The panel have also advocated for providers and families with authorities such as the Department of Health and the various Public Health Units.