Covid-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated Contents Introduction – 4 Common issues that many organisations are facing from COVID-19 Governance and Compliance 5 6 – 1.1 Considerations 6 – 1.2 Commonwealth and State Public Authorities 9 – 1.3 Regulatory and professional bodies 9 Workforce 11 – 2.1 Considerations 11 – 2.2 Relevant policies and procedures: Workforce 13 Service delivery 14 – 3.1 Considerations 14 – 3.2 Additional considerations 15 – 3.3 Service collaboration and coordination 15 – 3.4 Who can I talk to if I need advice on service delivery? 15 – 3.5 Relevant policies and procedures: Service delivery 15 Financial viability 16 – 4.1 Considerations 16 – 4.2 Additional considerations 17 – 4.3 Relevant policies and procedures: Financial viability 18 Communication 19 – 20 Additional Information COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated Templates 21 – Attachment 1: Scenario Planning template 21 – Attachment 2: Business Continuity Management Plan template 24 – Attachment 3: Cash flow forecast templates 25 – Attachment 4: Decision log template 27 – Attachment 5: Action log template 28 – Attachment 6: Loss of suppliers template 29 – Attachment 7: DHS NGO Contact List 31 – Attachment 8: Service-specific resources 32 • NGO coronavirus support 32 • Disability services 32 • Family based violence 32 • Children & Families 32 • Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) 32 • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 32 COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated Introduction The current COVID-19 pandemic affects all of us in our professional and personal lives. The South Australian Department of Human Services (DHS) is very aware of the importance of the many and varied non-government organisations (NGOs) that provide important services to our community and the challenges we collectively now face, probably for several months. This toolkit is intended to help all South Australian NGOs, to build resilience and know where to go for information as the situation continues to change. This toolkit provides practical guidance for NGOs across the following areas critical to your success: Decision- making Workforce (including workforce health and wellbeing) Service delivery Finances As well as providing additional, useful information, this Toolkit is a central place to house various templates and useful documents relating to COVID-19 that we believe you will need to refer to now and in the coming weeks and months. This situation is evolving and your particular issue/circumstance may not be covered currently - we will continue to update this document throughout the duration of the pandemic. Whilst this Toolkit provides guidance, it does not replace your existing policies or DHS policies and framework for consultations. We also believe that in the current circumstances, we need to recognise the importance of strengthening partnerships between NGOs to sustain services and mitigate potential capacity and resource challenges. For many of us, the way that we work and service delivery considerations have changed dramatically in a very short period of time and this toolkit may help facilitate the identification of potential formal and informal sharing of resources and partnerships. All NGOs are encouraged to use and contribute to the resources in the toolkit. We have included communication channels for you to communicate with us and we encourage collaboration and development and sharing of experiences and solutions to improve everyone's ability to continue delivering essential services to our communities. If you would like to provide feedback in relation to this toolkit, or to request further information to be included in future iterations, please email Gabriella Ferraro at: [email protected] COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated Common issues that many organisations are facing from COVID-19 COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated The following pages provide a checklist of activities and considerations over a “do now”, “do next” and “do as needed” basis across the four key areas of focus listed on the previous page. It also provides a range of links to useful State and Federal Government information sources as well as applicable DHS and other South Australian Government Department policies and procedures. 1. Governance and Compliance 1.1 Considerations Items in orange you should “do now”, items in yellow, “do next” and items in green should be done as needed and applicable. Pandemic Planning ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ Review your existing business continuity plans (if they exist) for weaknesses and unidentified impacts specific to COVID-19 (supply chain, staff availability, customer demand). Consider likely trigger points for decision-making. If you need to develop a pandemic plan, a simple template can be found from the Trusted Information Sharing Network. Establish a response team with clear roles, accountabilities and objectives to manage your pandemic planning and response. Establish and agree processes for pandemic related decision making with your management team and Board and agree on critical milestones. Refer to the Decision Log template at Attachment 4. ❏ Appoint functional workstreams and owners, and align activity with response objectives. Confirm critical stakeholders and suppliers and agree communication strategies for them. ❏ Use trusted sources of information to monitor the spread of the pandemic, compliance requirements and emerging clusters of cases, ensuring staff and clients are also aware of these trusted sources. ❏ Verify that technology infrastructure can support alternative means of working for both corporate functions and service delivery. ❏ ❏ Review supplier service availability and resilience. ❏ Consider the need to expand delegations for various types of authority (where required). Consider conducting simulations of various contingency scenarios to ‘stress test’ continuity plans (using for example,” best case” and “worst case” options for income / expenditure) and assess impact on associated services, support processes, controls and cash flows. ❏ Consider how staff will be paid under various scenarios (i.e. where payroll functions cannot be performed remotely). ❏ Adapt policies and procedures as required and ensure they remain up-to-date, accurate, relevant and accessible. ❏ Consider explicit staff succession planning and upskilling / training for key roles (in case people become ill or have to care for an ill person) while maintaining compliance with quality and regulatory requirements ❏ COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated Pandemic Planning (cont) ❏ ❏ Agree on approach to communications to staff and stakeholders - and feedback loops. Balance transparency and preparedness with not wanting to appear to be overreacting. Keep a detailed record of all decisions. Refer to the Decision Log template at Attachment 4. ❏ Ensure alignment of activities with your organisations reputation, purpose and values (e.g. supporting the wider community response). ❏ The application of security and information risk policies should be monitored and enforced. ❏ Practice sound knowledge management: Cyber Security and information risk management ❏ ❏ ❏ Be aware that organisations are often at their most vulnerable to cyber security threats such as phishing emails (e.g. selling hand sanitisers and masks etc.) when dealing with a crisis that dominates their attention. If, for example, you have moved to staff working from home, perhaps using their own ICT equipment, you must realise that new channels for cyber-attacks have opened up. This increases the risk of client and employee personal information being compromised. Please refer to Understanding OAIC guidance on privacy issued on COVID-19. It is critical therefore that staff are vigilant and that IT monitoring continues unabated. ❏ If any changes are made to the way that your work, review your information security / document management policies and update as required. ❏ ICT security requirements for SA Government agencies (including supporting guidelines and templates) can be used as a source of good practice and can be found at the DPC Cyber Security webpage here. ❏ Practice sound information risk management by ❏ reviewing and updating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on the management of client and employee personal records. ❏ ensuring knowledge and skills are distributed across geographically dispersed people / offices. ❏ ensure effective data gathering and sharing processes are in place ❏ manage critical information through a vital records analysis. COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated Contractual arrangements ❏ Review funding agreements / arrangements to determine if flexibility exists (for example, NDIS Plans, contractual arrangements with DHS etc.). Contact your contract manager to discuss terms. ❏ Consider that some contractual agreements may require amendments and / or authorisations outside of usual contractual terms and begin to put in place measures to accommodate these. ❏ For disability service providers: ❏ Understand how and where there may be flexibility in NDIS plans to allow for altered services and service delivery. ❏ Understand any directives or advice from the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) regarding plan reviews or renewals. ❏ Understand your obligations under your terms of registration and the Code of Conduct, including to provide continuity of services. ❏ Understand your obligation to inform the Quality and Safeguards Commission in relation to changes in your capacity to provide services as well as reportable incidents. ❏ Monitor ongoing compliance with confirmed requirements. COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated Legislative and regulatory compliance ❏ ❏ Regularly monitor and implement guidance from authorities and peak bodies (for example, the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), where relevant). ❏ ❏ If applicable, review up-to-date information on temporary relief from Director’s Duties from the AICD. Understand the potential impacts of any changes made to your staffing / working practices on the legislative and regulatory requirements for your organisation. ❏ Maintain communications with relevant regulatory authorities ❏ Monitor ongoing compliance with confirmed requirements. Identify areas where changes to arrangements will make it difficult for you to comply and raise that with the appropriate regulatory body proactively. ❏ Adapt policies and procedures as required and ensure they remain up-to-date, accurate, relevant and accessible. ❏ Ensure compliance with any insurance policy disclosure requirements. ❏ Ensure compliance with any response / disclosure requirements in your insurance policies Insurances ❏ N/A Decision-making ❏ Review decision-making hierarchy and meeting rhythm to ensure it supports making well-informed decisions in a timely way. Understand the scope and any potential limitations in insurance coverage for staff, operations, assets and Directors. COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated 1.2 Commonwealth and State Public Authorities ➢ Trusted Information Sharing Network (TISN) for Critical Infrastructure Resilience: Pandemic planning template: Trusted Information Sharing Network: Pandemic Emergency Management Plan 1.3 Regulatory and professional bodies Your organisation may need to keep in contact with the following organisations: ➢ ASIC. ASIC has issued advice for companies whose ability to hold scheduled Annual General Meetings and meet financial reporting requirements is temporarily impacted by COVID-19. Please refer to ASIC’s 20-068 Guidelines for meeting upcoming AGM and financial reporting requirements. ➢ Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD). AICD has issued advice on how Boards should respond to COVID-19. ➢ ProBono Australia. ProBono Australia has released an article on Five Ways for Your Charity to Stay Ahead of COVID-19. ➢ Community Directors Australia. Free Epidemic / Pandemic Policy template download. COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated 2. Workforce 2.1 Considerations Items in orange you should “do now”, items in yellow, “do next” and items in green should be done as needed and applicable. Employees ❏ Review and understand the Australian Government’s information for employers. ❏ Review, understand and implement the Australian Government’s advice on social distancing. ❏ Understand what to do if an employee: ❏ Contracts COVID-19; ❏ Needs to self-isolate; or ❏ Is at risk of contracting COVID-19 due to direct contact with someone infected and the implications of this on clients and families. Please refer to SA Health for the latest up-todate guidance and advice. ❏ Refer to the Australian Government’s advice on isolation. ❏ Consider leave arrangements and identify critical roles. Implement back up personnel to fill critical roles in the event key staff are sick / caring / socially isolated, especially with continued restrictions or impacts on the employment of family members. ❏ Review existing policies and procedures to facilitate safe, secure and flexible work practices across the organisation and, if required, vary them in response to the potential requirements of remote working or other impacts or your pandemic plan. ❏ Update, implement and monitor adherence to new policies and procedures (such as the new Home Visiting Policy) if applicable. ❏ Keep employees regularly informed about the latest updates and guidance whilst encouraging calm and a recognition that operations are likely to continue as long as government guidance is followed. COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated Employees (cont) ❏ Conduct regular check ins with your staff to support their wellness and identify any concerns, including by telephone and / or video for those working remotely. ❏ Understand that the uncertainty and anxiety caused by the epidemic may trigger mental health issues and direct staff to your Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) where possible. ❏ Facilitate improved hygiene across all work environments. ❏ Understand all travel restrictions and communicate these clearly to all employees. ❏ Monitor changing laws and regulations (e.g. travel restrictions) affecting your employees. Please refer to the latest advice from the Australian Government. ❏ Review and understand the feasibility and available capability and capacity to implement alternative working measures such as working from home or splitting teams across sites. ❏ The South Australian Government’s policy on employment conditions under COVID-19 may provide a useful reference. Volunteers In addition to the measures listed for Employees above: ❏ Determine which (if any) services depend on volunteers to continue being delivered and decide whether they should continue. ❏ Ensure all high-risk (e.g. elderly) volunteers are protected. ❏ Ensure all high-risk (e.g. elderly) volunteers are protected. ❏ Ensure that all volunteers receive appropriate and regular communication and ongoing training (if required). ❏ N/A COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated Client / customer health and welfare measures ❏ ❏ Implement measures to protect customers from exposure and / or infection in accordance with government guidelines. Please refer to the latest Australian Government guidance. ❏ Determine whether face-to-face services will continue and, if so, in what capacity. ❏ Consider the need for increased services, for example, family based violence providers may consider it necessary to conduct additional check-ins to ensure the safety and welfare of their clients. ❏ Understand the risks around having clients access the broader health system as opposed to self-isolation (particularly in the disability sector). Further to the above, identify: ❏ The process for identifying the risk of exposure to a client; ❏ The process for seeking medical advice / consultation if a client is suspected to have COVID-19; and ❏ The process for ‘contract tracing’ and communicating with family regarding a client who may have COVID-10. ❏ Consider whether the organisation can collaborate and interact with a client of another organisation without breaching privacy laws. Consider whether information can be shared for the sake of contact tracing. ❏ Recognise that increased levels of anxiety and uncertainty are anticipated amongst the community and the need for clear communication to vulnerable members of the community. ❏ Ensure that all clients receive appropriate and regular communication. COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated 2.2 Relevant policies and procedures: Workforce ➢ SA Health Home Visiting Protocol ➢ Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment: Employment Conditions – Hours of Work, Overtime and Leave: Supplementary Provisions for COVID-2019 Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) and the Fair Work Regulations 2009 (Cth). ➢ DHS Isolation and Working From Home Policy – This is a template you can use for your organisation COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated 3. Service delivery 3.1 Considerations Items in orange you should “do now”, items in yellow, “do next” and items in green should be done as needed and applicable. The priority for service delivery is to ensure that essential services continue to be delivered as far as possible. Analysis / Assessment Immediate responses Planning and Monitoring ❏ Determine reasonable worst-case scenarios to inform planning assumptions. ❏ ❏ Engage with employees to ensure they continue to have a safe working environment and comply with regulatory requirements. ❏ Identify the risks to your organisation through a scenario planning exercise for each of the relevant scenarios. Keep your people and working environments safe invest as needed to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for employees continuing to work and deliver services. ❏ ❏ Provide clear guidance and regular communications to all stakeholders. Explore opportunities for cross-skilling and upskilling employees to perform critical roles in the event of illness. ❏ Ensure essential functions continue to be provided (where possible). ❏ Explore opportunities with other NGOs providing the same / similar services to share resources. ❏ Review key suppliers service availability and resilience. Refer Attachment 7: DHS NGO contact list. ❏ Brainstorm ways to deliver services in different ways through use of technology or other innovative solutions. ❏ ❏ Assess critical versus non-critical services. ❏ Identify essential services that must continue. ❏ Confirm the services that should / must stop. Identify key staff required for essential and nonessential service delivery. ❏ Identify potential points of failure - for example, key person dependencies. ❏ Identify mitigating plans. Refer Attachment 1: Scenario planning example template. COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated 3.2 Additional considerations ❏ Have you considered the impact on workers’ productivity either through illness or working from home with families? ❏ Have you run contingency/scenario planning for your workforce? ❏ Is there a coordinated communications strategy in place to keep people informed? ❏ When information is expected from the Government / funders of contracts / DHS, who will receive it, read it and prepare communication to staff and clients? ❏ What information is being monitored and by who? For example, National Cabinet, ABC News, health websites etc. ❏ Do you know the impacts on service levels from any outsourced/offshore functions? ❏ Have you considered business continuity plans at a site by site level? ❏ Have you adequately considered how employees will be paid accurately during this period? 3.3 Service collaboration and coordination Next Update – DHS will provide contact details of Local Partnership Groups to be established across key areas, once they are established – (Attachment 7) 3.4 Who can I talk to if I need advice on service delivery? Call your contract manager in the first instance. They can escalate your issue if required. 3.5 Relevant policies and procedures: Service delivery ➢ DHS Home Visiting Policy COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated 4. Financial viability 4.1 Considerations Items in orange you should “do now”, items in yellow, “do next” and items in green should be done as needed and applicable. ❏ Regularly monitor up-to-date information from the South Australian Government. ❏ Understand and review all measures available to small and medium businesses, small traders and households under the Australian Government’s measures: ❏ ❏ Small or medium businesses with reduced cash flow ❏ Temporary relief for financially distressed businesses ❏ Australian Government measures to assist economic recovery ❏ ❏ ❏ Cash flow assistance for business ❏ Sole traders who have lost business Review up-to-date information from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). If your income is negatively impacted, you need to consider: ❏ Consider how your organisation is thinking about: ❏ the degree of confidence in understanding how the impending cash flow risks will impact the organisation what opportunities are there to accelerate cash collection/generation. ❏ The reliability of the ongoing cash flow forecasts Identify potential triggers for urgent action (e.g. liquidity issues) - monitor these frequently and carefully. ❏ For organisations receiving grants, the various trigger points that exist within existing financial arrangements, for example any “financial covenants” or other terms in existing contractual arrangements relating to finance. ❏ How declining earnings affect the value of assets on the balance sheet and how this impacts any financing arrangements you may have in place. ❏ the re-prioritisation of spending and financial obligations ❏ ❏ Consider the need to factor additional costs (e.g. employee entitlements) into the cash flow forecasting if you need to restructure your operations. COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated ❏ ❏ ❏ All NGOs should carefully consider their financial position throughout this pandemic including cash flow and liquidity management ❏ The basic purpose of doing this forecasting is to identify circumstances when cash outflows may exceed cash inflows and therefore to anticipate the need for a remedial action ahead of time. Grant funded organisations can rely on their grant funding to continue as expected. If you require any relaxation of the rules on what the funds can be spent on, please contact your funding contact immediately. ❏ Based on the result of your scenario planning (refer section 3 above), your short, medium and long term funding income and/or expenses may be impacted. ❏ We recommend that you perform a detailed rolling cash flow forecast to understand how each scenario may affect your financial position. ❏ We have provided a simple weekly forecast template as well as a more comprehensive monthly cash flow template. Refer Attachment 3: Cash flow forecast examples (weekly and monthly). ❏ If your income is negatively impacted, you need to consider: ❏ Consider how your organisation is thinking about: ❏ the degree of confidence in understanding how the impending cash flow risks will impact the organisation what opportunities are there to accelerate cash collection/generation. ❏ The reliability of the ongoing cash flow forecasts Identify potential triggers for urgent action (e.g. liquidity issues) - monitor these frequently and carefully. ❏ For organisations receiving grants, the various trigger points that exist within existing financial arrangements, for example any “financial covenants” or other terms in existing contractual arrangements relating to finance. ❏ How declining earnings affect the value of assets on the balance sheet and how this impacts any financing arrangements you may have in place. ❏ the re-prioritisation of spending and financial obligations ❏ ❏ Consider the need to factor additional costs (e.g. employee entitlements) into the cash flow forecasting if you need to restructure your operations. COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated 4.2 Additional considerations ➢ Do you have an accurate understanding of your working capital (i.e. current assets minus the current liabilities) needs and timing of payments? ➢ Have you stress tested your cash flows (by applying a range of assumptions to each scenario) and do you understand how much cash you need and for how long? ➢ Do you have capability and capacity to support and rapidly assess changing forecast scenarios? ➢ Have you identified costs that can be eliminated / reduced and have plans on how to execute on these? ➢ Have you assessed the impact of the pandemic on your clients and their ability to pay? ➢ Have you re-assessed any financing / covenant compliance requirements? ➢ When do your current banking facilities expire (where applicable) and have you considered your ability to access new credit? ➢ What is the impact of revised forecasts on your financial statements /asset impairment / going concern requirements? 4.3 Relevant policies, procedures and further information: Financial viability ➢ ➢ Government of South Australia COVID-19 Business Information and Support Business SA COVID-19 Resources for Business COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated 5. Communication Virtual communication and collaboration is vital to ensuring business continuity. The following are examples of free applications that enable one on one video calls with colleagues or clients: • Skype • Messenger • Viber • Apple facetime The following are examples of free applications that enable conference video calls with multiple colleagues or clients: • Microsoft Teams • Zoom (limit of 45 mins for free version) • Google Hangouts • Lifesize • Skype for Business Simple instructions for how to use these applications are available online, but if you would like advice on to use these for yourself or at your organisation, please contact [email protected] If you organisation needs IT support to transition your workforce to remote or home based working, speak to your contract manager. There may be scope within your existing service agreements to draw on unexpended funding to improve your IT infrastructure. COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated 6. Additional Information What do I do if I have a question? Key contacts at DHS ● ● ● ● Read this guidance first to see if your query has been answered. If not, please engage with your contract manager For sector-specific questions or advice, please refer to Attachment 8 of this Toolkit for further resources. How do I stay updated? ● Due to the speed of change we are setting up the following support for the coming weeks: ○ Ongoing meetings with CEOs of key NGOs ○ Regular updating of these resources ○ Single source of truth on DHS website Contact the DHS COVID-19 response team via email at: [email protected] There are a number of useful publications already in circulation see links below: ➢ ➢ ➢ Public sector policies on mentally healthy workplaces Beyond Blue Understanding OAIC guidance on privacy issued on COVID19 Useful phone numbers Other Commonwealth and State Public Authorities ➢ Lifeline: 13 11 14 ➢ ➢ Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 ➢ ➢ ➢ The Australian Government Coronavirus Health Information Line: 1800 020 080 ➢ Business.gov.au support line: 13 28 46 Latest advice and information from the Australian Government Latest advice and guidance from Smart Traveller SA Health Covid-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated Templates COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated 7. Templates Attachment 1: Scenario Planning template The most practical way of identifying the risks that may impact on your organisation is to conduct (and regularly review and update) a scenario planning exercise. Planning scenarios We believe the most likely scenarios arising from the current pandemic are listed below: ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ Loss of workforce (including volunteers) either through illness, enforced or voluntary self-isolation or caring for family members; Loss of premises (either from closure of facilities that you use to provide services or your offices); Loss of key suppliers; and Services becoming too risky to provide or are prohibited from being provided in their current form (under pandemic conditions). How to use the scenario planning template Understanding the impact of the pandemic on your organisation’s operations is critically important. This will be an iterative process as the pandemic evolves over time. To do this, your organisation should conduct scenario planning for the four scenarios listed above and regularly reviewed and updated. When completing the scenario planning template: ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ Work with all stakeholders to identify the most critical services and supporting processes across your organisation based on customer need, cost implications and reputational risk of downtime Identify key staff involved in critical decision making Consider the workforce, technology, reputation, financials and service impacts Prioritise each service and supporting resources to determine maximum allowable outage / service disruption time Link the BIA to any existing risk frameworks or crisis management plans your organisation may have. COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated A worked example using the Scenario Planning template is appended below. A template that you can tailor to conduct a scenario planning exercise for your organisation is attached here. Example 1: The scenario planning template in use Service name & description Home-based behaviour therapy visits to children with disabilities - have 120 clients and currently each child is visited once a week. Scenario Loss of workforce NDIS-funded and contributes 20% of our Loss of premises income. Scenario details Key risks / impacts on service Key risks / impacts on service delivery and / or organisation delivery and / or organisation if if we stop this service for the we stop this service for the short term (i.e. 21 days or medium / long term (e.g. 6 less) months) Behaviour Therapists ● unavailable due to spread of illness or workers needing time off to care for ● sick family members Increased risk of social isolation for families, exacerbating mental health issues If we cannot deliver services, we will have to retrench therapists ● People: we only have 4 trained behaviour therapists No access to case notes ● / case notes not captured Security risks to client personal data Risk is compounded by length of outage, making recovery increasingly difficult and the possibility of data breach more likely ● Technology: remote working possible but currently rely on desktop computers at our offices High risk to workforce ● conducting home visits in the short term without masks, gloves, gowns etc. potentially leaving workers exposed to contraction of the virus N/A ● Suppliers: n/a in normal operations ● Technology: remote working possible but currently rely on desktop computers at our offices Reduced / no capacity to complete client appointments Impact of missed appointments is client dependent - each case needs to be assessed based on current clinical situation Loss of supporting ICT infrastructure and administrative support ● Loss of suppliers Organisation is unable to obtain Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) due to supply chain disruption ● Services too risky to delivery in their current form Organisation is no longer able to conduct homebased visits due to government restrictions / lockdowns Refer loss of workforce ● ● Key Dependencies ● Refer loss of workforce Impact response and agreed risk strategy Approved response: Continue service Key actions: ● Focus on limiting exposure to staff doing home visits ● Transition to remote service delivery as soon as possible ● Invest in laptop computers connected to our shared database for all therapists. ● Identify key support staff and ensure that they can work remotely ● Update and communicate policies and procedures relating to safety during home visits ● Ensure frequent, open and accurate communication with the workforce regarding the situation and potential risks ● Organisation to keep a register of where it is sending staff, the activities they are undertaking, and the conditions under which they are being undertaken ● Communicate with all clients that we will transition to technologybased visits COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated Scenario planning template Service name & description Scenario Scenario details Key risks / impacts on service Key risks / impacts on service delivery and / or organisation delivery and / or organisation if if we stop this service for the we stop this service for the short term (i.e. 21 days or medium / long term (e.g. 6 less) months) Key Dependencies Impact response and agreed risk strategy COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated Attachment 2: Business Continuity Management Plan template Category Incident Management Team (IMT) Activities ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ Regulatory and reporting requirements ❏ ❏ ❏ Technology options ❏ Establish an IMT to coordinate your organisation’s response Set clear roles, accountabilities and objectives Develop a communications and stakeholder engagement strategy Embed an incident reporting mechanism Identify critical decision triggers to manage and contain the virus, i.e. travel restrictions; office closing / working from home; meeting restrictions / virtual solutions Deploy a rapid response processes for your own cases and develop personnel recovery plans Owner CEO / GM Clarify any reporting requirements (both for regulatory bodies / authorities as well as under the event an employee or customer contracts COVID-19) Review potential legal impacts on your organisation Review all contractual obligations, i.e. with suppliers, insurers, regulatory bodies etc. Verify that technology infrastructure can support remote operations IT team Start Finish Commentary COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated Attachment 3: Cash flow forecast templates Option1: Simple weekly cash flow. Note – please double click on the image to open the template in Microsoft Excel. XXXXXXXX Start End Opening Cash* Inflows Sales - XXX Sales - XXX Sales - XXX Debtors Total Inflows 19-Jul-16 26-Jul-16 02-Aug-16 25-Jul-16 01-Aug-16 08-Aug-16 09-Aug-16 16-Aug-16 23-Aug-16 30-Aug-16 06-Sep-16 13-Sep-16 20-Sep-16 27-Sep-16 04-Oct-16 15-Aug-16 22-Aug-16 29-Aug-16 05-Sep-16 12-Sep-16 19-Sep-16 26-Sep-16 03-Oct-16 10-Oct-16 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 Week 1 3,000 Week 2 3,000 Week 3 7,000 Week 4 11,000 Week 5 15,000 Week 6 19,000 Week 7 23,000 Week 8 27,000 7 7 7 11-Oct-16 85 7 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 31,000 35,000 39,000 38,000 Post 37,000 Total 3,000 - 45,000 45,000 - 11,000 (2,200) 2,200 11,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 - - 1,000 (200) 1,000 (200) 1,000 (200) 1,000 (200) 1,000 (200) 1,000 (200) 1,000 (200) 1,000 (200) 1,000 (200) 1,000 (200) 1,000 (200) - 200 1,000 200 1,000 200 1,000 200 1,000 200 1,000 200 1,000 200 1,000 200 1,000 200 1,000 200 1,000 200 1,000 GST Clearing GST Received GST Paid PAYG Net Payment to ATO - (18) 200 (18) 200 (18) 200 (18) 200 (18) 200 (18) 200 (18) 200 (18) 200 (18) 200 (18) 200 (18) 200 2,000 (200) 2,200 2,000 Total Expenses - 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 2,000 13,000 Net Inflow / (Outflow) - 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 (1,000) (1,000) (2,000) 32,000 3,000 7,000 11,000 15,000 19,000 23,000 27,000 31,000 35,000 39,000 38,000 37,000 35,000 35,000 (3,000) (7,000) (11,000) (15,000) (19,000) (23,000) (27,000) (31,000) (35,000) (39,000) (38,000) (37,000) (35,000) Outgoings Wages (gross) (total) PAYG Super Utilities (Phone) / Cleaning Insurance Office expenses Rent IT Expenses Contingency / other Total Expenses Closing Balance Bank account Variance - COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated Option 2: Monthly cash flow. Note – please double click on the image to open the template in Microsoft Excel. NGO Name 2020 Financial Year Monthly Cash Flow July 1-1100 1-1110 1-1195 Budgeted Opening Cash Bank 1 Bank 2 Bank 3 Total cash August Budgeted September Budgeted October Budgeted November Budgeted December 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 Operating Cash Flow Operating Profit Depreciation (add Back) 1-1301 1-1401 Plant & Equipment at Cost Motor vehicle at cost Property Plant and Equipment 1-2010 1-2015 1-2020 ??? Trade Debtors Sundry Debtors Doubtful Debts Recoverable Expenses Debtors 1-4000 Stock On Hand Stock on Hand 2-2000 2-2010 2-2020 Trade Creditors Sundry Creditors Serafino claim Creditors 2-3010 2-3030 2-3040 2-3050 2-3065 GST Collected GST Paid ATO Liabilities PAYG W/Holding WET Payable ATO Liabilities 2-5200 2-5300 Superannuation Liability WorkCover Liability Net Cash Flow from Operating 8-0010 8-8020 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Net Cash Flow from Financing - - - - - - - - - - - Total Net Cash Flow - - - - - - - - - - - Investing Cash Flow Interest Received Dividends Received Net Cash Flow from Investing Financing Cash Flow Bank Loans Loans from Related Entities 1-1100 1-1110 1-1195 Closing Cash BankSA 180707340 Bank SA - Aramis Petty Cash Total Cash Cash Movement - Bank Cash Movement - Cash Flow Difference - 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 - - - - - - - - - 1 1 2 - COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated Attachment 4: Decision log template A critical aspect of good governance, particularly under pandemic conditions, is ensuring there is identification of key decision makers and a mechanism to capture those decisions made, who they were made by, and the outcome(s). To assist with this, an example decision log template is below. Decision log example template Decision / Action Whether your organisation should source PPE supplies from alternate third-party providers (i.e. closed gyms) due to supplier issues. Status of decision Undecided Impact High Driver Inability to obtain PPE supplies Approver / owner CEO Contributors Workforce Manager Informed Operational staff Due date 1 April 2020 Outcome It was decided the organisation will approach recently closed gyms and other facilities to enquire as to whether we can purchase surplus (unused) hand sanitiser and gloves. Rationale We are unable to source PPE from our traditional suppliers. Given delivery of our critical services depend on having appropriate PPE for our staff, the organisation needs to obtain this equipment from any other possible supplier and / or source. COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated Attachment 5: Action log template An extension of the decision log, the action log is used to track all key events, allocation of roles and responsibilities, tasks, communications and decisions made by your organisation whilst responding to the business impacts of the pandemic. Date: Time Log entered by (Name) Record: key events, allocations of roles/responsibilities, communications and agreed actions Assigned to Status COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated Attachment 6: Loss of suppliers template Loss of suppliers COVID-19 is impacting the supply chain of organisations as the outbreak continues to spread. Factories and businesses are experiencing extended shutdowns, employees are not able to return to work and airlines are suspending or cancelling services. Production disruptions in one organisation create adverse effects in others and your organisation may struggle to find alternatives. Your organisation can take a range of measures to protect itself: ❏ Identify critical products and suppliers (i.e. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)). Once identified, determine how reliant each supplier is on the affected areas. ❏ Contingency planning. What are the options to re-address the balance of supply and demand? Is buffer stock or a safe alternative supplier available? What is the impact on medium-term strategy? ❏ Communicate. Supply chain disruption may cause unintended reputational damage. Develop a clear strategy for transparent communication with customers, external stakeholders and employees. ❏ Conduct scenario planning. Careful planning is required to navigate the wider implications of supply chain disruptions. Please refer to the Scenario Planning template at Attachment 1. Suppliers who yourtemplate organisation Contact Contact details mitigation Impact of lossthat of services Strategies your organisationmajor can employ to Below is an example that may be used to listperson identify the impacts and potential strategies a loss of/ supplies services on / products from your organisation’s suppliers depends the organisation lessen the demand on this supplier will have. on for services / products All Trades Group (Supplier of PPE) John Doe (08) 8xxx xxx Workforce unable to undertake in-home visits ● Determine whether supplies can be sought from other third-party providers i.e. non-essential services that have been shut down COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated Additional considerations ❏ Access to PPE. If your workforce is unable to obtain PPE, this will impact home visits and visits to other vulnerable members of the community. Those customers may therefore need to attend hospital or would be unprotected during home visits. ❏ Legal obligations. Your organisation will need to consider any potential legal obligations against the organisation in relation to customers / clients raising legal claims in the event they contract COVID-19 during a home visit. COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated Attachment 7: DHS NGO Local Contact List This will be updated soon - DHS will provide contact details of new Local Partnership Groups (Child and Family Safety Networks) across key areas. These are currently being established in key regions. COVID-19 Readiness Planning Toolkit Please check back to this guidance frequently, due to the nature of COVID-19, the content will be regularly reviewed and updated Attachment 8: Service-specific resources NGO coronavirus support ➢ Please refer to the dedicated DHS NGO webpage and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Disability services ➢ National Disability Services (NDS) Coronavirus support and information ➢ Refer to the latest advice and guidance from the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Family based violence ➢ White Ribbon Domestic Violence Contacts Children & Families Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) ➢ ➢ The Australian Government Department of Home Affairs has released COVID-19 fact sheets in a range of languages: ○ Kurdish Kumanji ○ Hakka Chin ○ Hazagari ○ Traditional Chinese ○ Vietnamese ○ Spanish ○ Greek My Aged Care Support for Older Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ➢ Aboriginal Family Domestic Violence Hotline: 1800 019 123
