Providing essential social services safely

We want you to keep delivering identified essential services safely, in keeping with COVID-19 restrictions. As much as possible, please don’t compromise the safety and wellbeing of the people you’re working with.

A good way to do this is to:

• use the minimum viable workforce, and
• have maximum hygiene protocols in place

Use face to face contact only in circumstances where it’s most needed, so you prioritise the safety and wellbeing of the people you’re working with and the wider community. In all other circumstances find other ways to support tamariki, whānau and those caring for and supporting them.

Communicating from a distance

Find alternative ways of working to keep employees and the people you are working with safe. This means communicating at a distance using online methods (eg Zoom, Skype) and by phone.

For people who need to keep engaging face to face, make arrangements that support safety (eg social distancing, personal protective equipment, shift-based working, staggered meal breaks and flexible leave arrangements).

The number of people having close contact with each other needs to be kept to a minimum.

Work through the processes you currently use to deliver services, identify any that usually need face to face engagement and plan for these in the context of COVID-19 restrictions.

Any questions or concerns

Please contact your contract relationship manager if you have questions or concerns you cannot provide a service to the level required. We’ll work with you to address the issues you face.

You can also email us at community_information@msd.govt.nz. We will get back to you as soon as we can.