Updated 7 September 2020: Did you know that you can now recover the cost of purchasing PPE items using your NDIS funds? To be eligible, you must receive at least one hour a day of face-to-face daily living supports, and live in Victoria, New South Wales or restricted parts of Queensland.

You can now also use the Low Cost Disability-Related Health Consumables line item in your core supports budget to purchase hand sanitiser.

For more information about accessing NDIS funding for PPE, please click here.

For people with disability and close others

Wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is an important way to help you stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Personal Protective Equipment

If you have a disability and require personal support, you may need to access PPE.

PPE includes masks, gloves, gowns and face shields. PPE can help stop COVID-19 from spreading from one person to another.

It is vital that NDIS participants and support workers are able to buy PPE at a reasonable price.

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When should you use PPE?

If you are living in Victoria, you must wear a face covering at all times when not at home.

If you live outside of Victoria and you or your support workers use PPE as a regular part of your support arrangements, you should continue to do so.

If you and your support worker are well and do not usually use PPE, there is no need to wear face masks, if you live outside of Victoria.

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PPE online stores

The Summer Foundation has worked with 2 of Australia’s largest providers of PPE – RSEA Safety and Blackwoods – to make PPE available for NDIS participants.

To access the NDIS participant online PPE stores, users will need to enter their NDIS number to receive:

• Priority access to PPE stock

• Reasonably priced PPE

• A discount on delivery cost

Gloves, gowns, surgical masks, face shields, hand sanitiser and disinfectant wipes are all available.

Payment is by credit card. Blackwoods and RSEA may look at other payment options in the future. If you live in Victoria or New South Wales you can now recover the cost of purchasing PPE items using your NDIS funds. See below for further information.

Click on the banners below to access the stores.

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Accessing NDIS funding for PPE

The NDIS has made a temporary change to funding arrangements for PPE, to better support NDIS participants.

You can now recover the cost of purchasing PPE items using your NDIS funds, if you:

• receive an average of at least one hour a day of face-to-face daily living supports, and
• live in Victoria or New South Wales

If a participant’s NDIS funds are plan or Agency-managed, the agency can purchase PPE on behalf of the participant

Self-managed participants can choose where they purchase PPE and record and claim their purchases as per the usual process.

Also, if you need PPE items like face masks, face shields and gloves for your face-to-face daily living supports, you can use your core supports budget to purchase these items. 

If you find that you are using more hand sanitiser than you would under normal circumstances, you can now use your NDIS plan to cover the cost of extra hand sanitiser.

You can use the Low Cost Disability-Related Health Consumables line item in your core supports budget to purchase hand sanitiser, as you would for gloves and face masks.

Refer to this web page for the latest advice from the NDIS.

If you are using an agency to access support workers, they need to provide their staff with PPE such as masks, sanitiser and gloves. They are required to provide these to you and to your support workers if either of you have any cold or flu symptoms. Talk to your agency if this is not being followed.

If you directly employ your support workers, you may need to provide PPE. If you self-manage, and require close personal care, you may be able to use your consumables budget to buy PPE.

If you don’t have enough funding in your budget, or if you are agency managed, call the NDIS for a light touch plan review on 1800 800 110 and press 5.

For more information about these plan reviews check out this video.

Talk to your support coordinator or your planner/local area coordinator if you have any questions about how you can use your funding.

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Where else can you get PPE?

National Medical Stockpile: The Australian Government has prioritised PPE distribution from the National Medical Stockpile (NMS) to NDIS providers and self-managing participants who are most in need.

You can find out more and submit a request here.

All requests are reviewed by the Department of Health.

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PPE information and resources

Australian Government Disability Information Line: 1800 643 787 

NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission: COVID-19 information for people with a disability

Australian Government Department of Health: Advice for people with a disability during COVID-19

Department of Social Services: COVID-19 accessible resources

Department of Health: Management and Operational Plan for People with Disability

NDIS: COVID-19 Health and Safety Q & A

Training for disability support workers on PPE: COVID-19 PPE for disability support workers video

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What else can you do to stay safe?

Handwashing
Regular hand washing is an important way to prevent the spread of infection. Thoroughly washing hands with soap and water is more effective than using hand sanitiser. Hand sanitiser is useful when in the community or if you do not have access to soap and water.

It is also important that you ask your support workers to regularly wash their hands, especially when they arrive and before they leave.

Here is more information from the Department of Health: Good hygiene for coronavirus (COVID-19) 

Cleaning
Cleaning surfaces in the home that are regularly touched can reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection. Use disinfectant to clean surfaces including door knobs, light switches, taps and phones.

Department of Health:  Australian Department of Health Guidelines on effective household cleaning

Choice Magazine: Cleaning in the time of coronavirus

Choice Magazine: How to clean your smartphone to protect against COVID-19

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Easy read information about PPE

The Growing Space:

• COVID-19 symptoms, preparation, keeping safe, support worker safety, restrictions in Australia, and what to do if you get sick
• Tips for keeping wheelchairs and other equipment and surfaces clean
• Top 31 ways to use support workers while avoiding COVID-19
• Warning stop sign for your front door – alerting people to not enter if they have virus symptoms here

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PPE feedback survey

We are interested in your thoughts about PPE and feedback on our PPE online stores. Your feedback will help to ensure the online stores are meeting your PPE needs.

Please complete this 5 minute survey.

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For any inquiries please contact us at ppe@summerfoundation.org.au

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