Consulting during COVID19 pandemic

During the COVID9 pandemic, The Food Clinic are closely monitoring Government guidelines and advice from the Department of Health and DHHS (Victoria) along with consensus advice from Dietitians Australia regarding strategies to minimise the risks associated with COVID19 within our work areas and for our clients. During this time, the types of services normally on offer may be modified such as face to face group programs which are currently on hold. As we align with the Victorian COVID Safe Summer guidelines, services now more closely match those available pre COVID19 restrictions including in clinic appointments for all areas of care and home visit consultations for frail elderly or disabled persons when telehealth is not a suitable alternative. Subject to change, your dietitian will continue to wear a single use surgical mask during all consultations, in particular when delivering 1:1 care in small spaces where physical distancing may be difficult, unless otherwise clinically indicated (e.g face masks may be removed for those clients who have a hearing deficept and require the support of lip reading for communications). We request that clients attend appointments either by themsleves or with a maximum of one support person/carer unless otherwise approved prior to your consultation and that where practical clients continue to wear a face mask whilst attending clinics. Throughout 2020, there has been an increase in uptake of clients wishing to access telehealth services, this will continue into 2021 subject to advice of funding bodies and to be used when clinically indicated in addition to face to face services. Telehealth is now recognised through funding including Medicare, Department of Veteran's Affairs, Work Cover, TAC, Defence Force and the NDIS and research is showing that often telehealth is equally as effective as face to face dietitian consutlations. Further information about the effectiveness of telehealth can be found here. Telehealth also offers the flexibility to save you time, not having to travel or wait in shared waiting areas. You can also continue to receive support when you are not in the local area. How does telehealth work? Telephone - your dietitian will call you at your agreed appointment time Video Consultation - You will be sent a link prior to your appointment for an online virtual clinic room. At your appointment time click on the link and you will be asked to enter your details then you enter a vitrual waiting room and your dietitian will begin your consultation shortly thereafter. The video consultations can be access via any internet enabled device with a web camera such as a smart phone, tablet or laptop. When booking your appointments please indicate to our reception staff if you will be attending in person, via telephone or video consultation. The clinic is operating through a COVID safe plan. For any in person consultations, additional cleaning and PPE are implemented as necessary. You may be asked screening questions before your appointment, be required to wear and mask and have temperature recorded for some consultations. Your details will also be recorded on our COVID19 register for streamlined contact tracing should the clinic have any positive cases of COVID19. If you have come into contact with any positive cases of COVID19 or have cold or flu like symptoms please do not attend face to face appointments. Either request a telehealth appointment or reschedule until a time when you are feeling well.
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