Safe Delivery of Services Policy

Last Updated: 18/02/2025

Where this Policy Refers to:

• You or Your, this means you
• We, Our or Us, this means Talk Health Therapy as Your Service Provider
• Party or Parties, this means both You and Us

Description 

Talk Health Therapy (THT) is dedicated to providing services in a safe and supportive environment for both clients and staff. We have established comprehensive systems and processes to ensure the continuous safety and well-being of everyone involved in our service delivery. Our commitment to safety is unwavering, and we strive to create a space where clients can receive care with confidence and staff can perform their duties without concern. 

Objectives: 

• To ensure the safety of clinicians while delivering services, including in clients’ homes and off-site locations. 

• To empower clinicians to make informed decisions about their safety, including refusing services in unsafe environments. 

• To establish clear protocols for assessing, managing, and mitigating risks in home-based service delivery. 

• To provide a structured process for terminating services if conditions are unsafe or non-compliant with service agreements. 

Home Visit Risk Assessment Form: 

THT acknowledges that delivering services in clients’ homes can present unique risks to clinicians. As such, a Home Visit Risk Assessment Form is mandatory for each home visit. This ensures that clinicians can safely locate and access the premises, determine the presence of other individuals during the appointment, and identify and mitigate any potential risks before entering the environment. 

Community Setting Risk Assessment Form: 

THT acknowledges that delivering services in community settings can present unique risks to clinicians. As such, a Community Setting Risk Assessment Form is mandatory for any supports occurring outside the home environment. This could include schools, parks, libraries etc. THT can request a copy of the venue’s current Risk Assessment Form. However, if this is not available, a Community Setting Risk Assessment Form is to be completed. This ensures that clinicians can safely locate and access the premises, determine the presence of other individuals during the appointment, and identify and mitigate any potential risks before entering the environment. 

Illness: 

THT requests that appointments are cancelled when the client, or their immediate family member within the household are feeling sick or unwell. This precaution is essential to ensure the health and safety of both our clients and clinicians. By rescheduling appointments under these circumstances, we can help prevent the spread of illness and maintain a safe environment for everyone involved in the service delivery process. 

Right to Refuse Service: 

THT strives to maintain the safety of our staff, the public and other community members. As such, if a clinician feels that their safety may be impacted by their immediate environment, they have the right to refuse services, and a cancellation fee as per our cancellation policy will apply. In instances where risk of harm could be significant, THT supports contacting emergency services.  

Examples of situations in which clinicians may refuse service include: 

• Unsafe Working Conditions: Environments where physical hazards, environmental concerns, or threatening behaviours present an immediate risk to safety. 

• Behavioural Escalations: The exhibition of aggressive, abusive, or unsafe behaviour toward the clinician or others. 

• Psychosocial Risks: Environments that present a significant risk of psychological harm, including situations where harassment, intimidation, or high levels of stress are present.