CORONAVIRUS

All practicing members are strongly encouraged to carefully evaluate patients lists and provide telepractice (remote consultations) where it is deemed practically appropriate. All members need to make your own decision about whether to provide remote services (see the MA Telepractice Policy) Your MA membership insurance will cover these services provided you work within your scope of practice, including maintaining, as always, comprehensive clinical notes. It is important that you provide your patients who elect for remote consultations with a comprehensive patient informed consent form outlining how the service is to be delivered, costs and that private health insurance may not cover remote consultations.

Additional resources for Telehealth can be found here.

Yes. As a result of our advocacy efforts throughout the first lockdown measures earlier this year, MA are pleased that we were able to successfully lobby for myotherapists and qualified remedial massage therapists to operate at their own discretion, as an essential business activity.The following table, although listed as myotherapy, can be applied also to permissions for remedial massage services.

If you are frustrated with the mixed messages coming from Government for healthcare professionals, every Australian has the right to contact their local member of parliament. You can find your local member of parliament here: Federal, ACT, NSW, NT, Qld, SA, Tas, Vic, WA. Should you wish to do this, we can provide you with our latest update to forward to them.

Some of you are asking if you should close your clinics. Unfortunately, there are no easy answers.

Your decision should take into account current government advice, your financial situation, client expectations, your own health and best practice measures. We have provided some links below to help you make your decision.

Whatever your decision, it is important to respect government advice on Coronavirus hygiene. Read the latest advice from the Deputy Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd in relation to the wearing of surgical masks for healthcare service providers here.

For those of you who are make the choice to remain open, we understand that you may want some help assuring your patients that you are maintaining current hygiene standards. Additional resources, including downloadable hygiene posters can be found here.

To help you continue to run your business during this period, we have provided some posters below to help assure your patients that you are maintaining current hygiene standards and MA have developed for members a Staged to Full Scale Business Activity Plan.

https://www.health.gov.au/resources/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-resources-for-health-professionals-including-aged-care-providers-pathology-providers-and-health-care-managers#personal-protective-equipment-ppe-for-the-health-workforce

MA suggests a staged return to business activities, in line with Covid-19 restrictions. An easy-to-follow guide to this plan can be downloaded here.This plan will be updated in accordance with Government advice.

The Victorian government guidance in relation to what’s required as part of the COVID-safe plan that all businesses must now have if they fall into category 2 can be found at https://www.business.vic.gov.au/disputes-disasters-and-succession-planning/covid-safe-business/creating-a-covid-safe-workplace.

Yes. As long as you follow all Government recommendations regarding best practice hygiene controls and work within your scope of practice, your insurance will cover you. To read more about our Insurance cover with BMS Group, see here.

Each member needs to make your own decision about whether to provide remote services (see the MA Telepractice Policy) Your MA membership insurance will cover these services provided you work within your scope of practice, including maintaining, as always, comprehensive clinical notes. It is important that you provide your patients who elect for remote consultations with a comprehensive patient informed consent form outlining how the service is to be delivered, costs and that private health insurance may not cover remote consultations (see next FAQ).

No. At this stage,  video/remote consultations conducted by myotherapists are not a rebatable private health insurance service.

We encourage you to clearly outline this when obtaining patient financial consent for remote consultations. MA also encourages members to clearly note this on your receipts – for example this is not a rebatable private health insurance service.

In the interest of reducing the likelihood of confusion for patients receiving remote consultations, we strongly recommend providers remove their provider number from these receipts.

Decisions by government regarding video/remote consultations are rapidly evolving. We are in regular contact with the private health insurers to ask them to reconsider whether they will pay rebates for remote consultations.

Recognising that this is a difficult time for our members, MA want to remind members that it is important that you practice self-care and reach out if you are experiencing challenges in managing your mental health throughout these and other times. View mental health helplines here.

Hand washing https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/pandemic/Pages/hand-wash-community.aspx

Know the signs https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-know-the-signs

Stop the spread https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-stop-the-spread

MA Poster – for display at your practice https://www.myotherapy.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ma-poster.pdf

Government provides free online training.

COVID-19 infection control training https://www.health.gov.au/resources/apps-and-tools/covid-19-infection-control-training

Infection Prevention and Control eLearning Modules https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/our-work/infection-prevention-and-control/infection-prevention-and-control-elearning-modules

MA endorsed professional development partners  – view our endorsed PD partners for online activity

https://www.myotherapy.org.au/membership/professional-development/accredited-pd/

MA has negotiated the following special pricing for our members

Kinetic Link Training – Level 1 (Functional Strength and Conditioning)

Study Online | 50% off for MA Members | MA Accredited Program

Myotherapy Association Australia Members can register for this comprehensive online learning experience from now until end of August 2020 for 50% off the RRP.

You will have 6 months access to the online lessons so you can take your time and study at your own pace.

Using the code MYO-HALF-PRICE reduces the online course fee from $370 to just $185.

Course highlights 

• Fully explore strength and conditioning principles in relation to functional resistance training
• Discover successful methods for integrating functional training into your business models
• Master biomechanically balanced exercise programs for both home-based training and gym-based training
• Learn to train movement patterns, not individual muscles (including 22 essential, distinct movement patterns)
• Create fully balanced functional strength and conditioning programs by using a precise system of training
• 6 months access to all the online course material – complete the course at a time that suits you – at a pace that suits you. (the course takes about 16 hours to complete)

More information can be found on the KLT website.

MA has negotiated the following special pricing for our members

Visit our online store for more information

In light of the current situation, the Board have granted an exemption of the mandatory four (4) Formal PD points for this 2019-2020 membership cycle for all members. See our online store for more PD options here.

In light of the current situation, the Board have granted an exemption of the dry needling PDP requirements for this 2019-2020 membership cycle for all members.

Members are required to obtain 20 PDP prior to August 31st, 2020 as part of your obligations for continuing membership registration.

The Board has determined that all 20 points can be within the informal category for this 2019-2020 membership cycle for all members. A comprehensive list of informal PDP activity can be found in Appendices 4-7 of your MA PD guidelines. It is important that you consider your informal PD activity to determine that it meets the MA PD Guidelines.

MA’s PD and Events committees will be working closely with our staff to update our online store to continue to bring you current, relevant and exciting evidence-informed material.

PD exemptions may still apply for exceptional circumstances. All applications for exemptions must be submitted to [email protected]

MA will allow membership renewals for members whose first aid has expired after 12 March 2020. Please note this waiver is temporary and we will need to review it as life returns to normal post-Covid19.

All Private Health Insurer funds have granted a temporary amnesty on renewal requirements for expired first aid certification up until 31st August, 2020. The amnesty will be reviewed on a monthly basis and notifications to members provided.

For members in regions restricted to tighter lockdowns, you are encouraged to enrol in an accredited refresher program, and even if this is postponed beyond your expiry date, health funds will acknowledge proof of enrolment and your provider numbers and membership will not be impacted.

The Board has made the difficult, but we believe necessary, decision to postpone a number of formal PD events currently scheduled on the MA Calendar.

At this stage we are in discussions with event facilitators to arrange alternate dates for those events that have been postponed so that we can provide new dates as soon as this information becomes available.

MA has taken the position to postpone any formal events until after 1st October. However, based on Government recommendations, these dates may be subject to change.

For those of you who have pre-purchased tickets for any upcoming MA run face-to-face events, a member of our staff will contact you to discuss your options for maintaining your event registration and applying it to a new date, transferring your ticket to another event, or a refund.

We appreciate that these unprecedented events are presenting financial challenges for many members. Members who may experience difficulty committing to membership renewal payments come August 31st, 2020 are encouraged to contact our team so that we can discuss what options are available.

Federal and State Governments have announced, and are continuing to announce stimulus packages. Stay informed by visiting business.gov.au

In addition to this, the below dedicated JobKeeper hotlines that have been established by the major banks and should be operational from this morning.

CBA: 13 26 07

ANZ: 1800 571 123

NAB: 1800 JOBKEEPER

Westpac: Westpac 1300 731 073 / St George 1300 730 196 / Bank of Melbourne 1300 784 873 / Bank SA 1300 669 472

Other assistance avenues are also available and we have provided links below to assist you.

At this stage we ask for your understanding. We are currently experiencing an unprecedented number of phone calls and emails. We have a small staff and a limited number of telephone lines. We are doing our very best to answer your calls and respond to emails.

Please be patient and respectful with our staff.

In addition to answering your calls and emails, we are working together with other allied health provider groups to obtain updated guidance and advice from the various governments that focuses on the specific needs of allied health in primary practice.

We are looking at setting up two member Q&A teleconferences in the very near future:

1 – economic stimulus package and other assistance for myotherapists
2 – covid19 issues impacting myotherapists

Stay tuned – we will inform you as soon as we have more details.

Victorian government advice on non-essential business closure https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/202003/Directions-Non-Essential-Business-Closure.pdf

Coronavirus at a glance https://images.theconversation.com/files/321864/original/file-20200320-22590-jigu0s.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=1681&fit=crop&dpr=1

PM’s latest economic stimulus announcement https://www.pm.gov.au/media/supporting-australian-workers-and-business

Federal Treasurer’s announcements https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/josh-frydenberg-2018/media-releases

William Buck FAQs on Covid-19 Economic Stimulus package

Assistance For Small Business https://www.cosboa.org.au/covid-19

If you have already had to make the tough decision to stand your staff down, please consider providing them with a letter such as this, as it will be required if asked, for Centrelink benefits. For further info see Fairwork site.