Queensland’s Chief Health Officer, in accordance with emergency powers arising from the declared public health emergency, has updated the Disability Accommodation Services Direction (No.19) which came into effect at 1.00am AEST on 25 June 2021.

Changes to the Direction

The updated Directions contain significant changes that disability accommodation providers need to implement and manage.

We recommend that the Directions should be reviewed in their entirety however, some of the changes include:

• Disability accommodation services are to make all reasonable efforts to collect contact information about all visitors (including volunteers and contractors) entering the service using the Check In Qld app.
• Providers are to make all reasonable efforts to display the Check In Qld app at all entries to the service.
• All visitors to services are obliged to use the Check In Qld app on entry. If anyone is unable to provide their contact information using the Check In Qld app, another person may provide their contact information on their behalf.
• Certain people are allowed to be exempt from using the Check In Qld app on entry in emergencies or based on compassionate grounds or a risk to a person's safety.
• Exceptions exist for situations where the Check In Qld app may not be able to be used because of unexpected circumstances such as internet outages. In these situations, providers must continue to collect contact information via another method such as a spreadsheet or a paper-based form.
• Providers have until Friday, 9 July 2021 to transition to the mandatory use of the Check In Qld app. During the transitional period, providers can continue to use their current contact information collection method.

Similar requirements have been made under the Residential Aged Care Direction and Hospital Visitors Direction (No. 21)

Declared Hotspots

With hotspots still occurring, NDS encourages members to also keep up to date with declared hotspots. Anyone who has been in a declared hotspot must follow the Border Restrictions Direction. In addition, anyone who has been in a state or territory with a hotspot in the last 14 days must apply for a Queensland Border Declaration pass before they enter Queensland.