COVID Positive Staff
Unfortunately, we have had several staff test COVID positive from either community transmission or through work.
Welfare officer Trish O’Brien has been in contact with the majority of affected staff. If there is anything that any affected members need, do not hesitate in contacting Trish or one of the State Executive and we will do everything we can to assist them.
Inmate Movements – IRC Matter
MRRC and SWCC are the only centres that are housing COVID Positive inmates.
Members from regional NSW were concerned about taking inmates from centres in the metropolitan area that have staff working at them from LGA’s of concern.
Due to this, certain locations voted on and passed motions refusing to take inmates. This resulted in the PSA/POVB being taking to the IRC.
To help minimise risk, members requested a form that details the test results of inmates prior to them being sent to the centres. CSNSW believed that Commissioner’s Instruction (CI) No: 42/2021 – Inmate Movements was sufficient confirmation that the inmates being moved were tested and moved in accordance to the process contained within.
In the first appearance at the IRC, there was a recommendation that members comply with the CI. The very next day it came to light that Justice Health had moved an inmate in the MRRC out of quarantine, before being tested on day 12 (as required).
The POVB Executive put out a direction that no centre would receive an inmate unless they had a document detailing the inmate’s tests results as per the CI.
After consultation, it was agreed an “inmate transfer form” will be completed on each inmate and supplied to the receiving centre. One part of the document will be completed by an FM who must complete the following:
- Min;
- Name;
- DOB; and
- Has the inmate completed quarantine/isolation?
The NUM is to then fill out the following section which will detail:
- Date Quarantine/isolated;
- Date of Day 1 Sentinel Test (PCR);
- Result of Day 1 Test;
- Date Day 12 Sentinel Test (PCR);
- Result of Day 12 Test;
- Date of release from quarantine/isolation;
- Days isolated; and
- Comments
This form will be sent to locations electronically and inmates should not be received into a centre without the completed form.
Inmates who are being moved from a metropolitan centre to a country location will be Rapid Antigen tested, if negative they are cleared to transfer. Those results should be noted also.
During the consultation process it was determined that inmates that are moved from SWCC and MRRC will be moved to centres with staging areas. The centres that will have staging areas are:
Females:
- Dillwynia Correctional Centre (DCC)
Male:
- South Coast Correctional Centre (SCCC)
- Mid North Coast Correctional Centre (MNCCC)
- Bathurst Correctional Centre (BCC)
- Shortland Correctional Centre (SCC)
Centres were able to consult and get extra posts to carry out this new role and function.
The staging areas means that inmates will be managed in those areas for 7 days. Inmates will be PCR or RAS tested on day 5 and must return a negative result and be cleared by Population Health prior to entering general population or being transferred to a gaol of placement on day 7.
Centre Expansions
MRRC
Due to Parklea not being able to take new reception inmates, the MRRC has had to make changes to their agreed PBCAP reception arrangements. They will now take new receptions from 7am to 7pm. This meant that an extra 11 posts per day was agreed to carry out the new role and function.
Dawn De Loas
CSNSW proposed to expand DDL to take 51 C1U Inmates into J Block over their PBCAP agreement. These inmates will be moved from MRRC and will have completed their quarantine/isolation period. The agreement was that DDL’s custodial FTE went from 41 to 57.
Personal Protection Equipment
The commissioner has put out a commissioners instruction detailing the requirements for staff in a correctional centre and the PPE they must wear in the workplace.
The following issues were raised:
- KN95 masks put pressure on the bridge of the nose and the backs of the ears;
- KN95 masks limit the ability to breathe;
- Masks fog up eyewear and face shields;
- Poor visibility with eye goggles and face shields; and
- PPE inhibits staff responding (IAT and staff in general).
All issues have been tabled and given to CSNSW. There will be further meetings this week to discuss the concerns.
In the interim, centres can apply to management to locally source equivalent grade masks and eye wear that resolve the above issues.
We recommend that all PPE issues be placed on the issues register and a hazard identification form be completed for local Work Health Safety Committee to address.
Medical Escort Unit (MEU)
CSNSW has identified that hospitals are a high risk for COVID 19 and that staff returning for duty from a medical escort may introduce COVID 19. Due to this, the Medical Escort Unit has been approved to function 24/7 over three shifts A, C, B across all 7 days.
This has meant a significant increase in their Full Time Employment (FTE) numbers. Due to this, the majority of casual workforce in the metropolitan region have been placed on a TE to fill the roles.
Mandatory Vaccinations
Acting Commissioner Corcoran has determined that CSNSW staff in a custodial environment, court locations and community corrections will be required to be vaccinated to be employed in CSNSW.
Staff in these locations must have had their first vaccination by 25th October 2021 and then their second dose by 17th January 2022.
The PSA has distributed legal advice from Senior Counsel Mark Gibian on this issue, he has advised that it complies with the Work Health and Safety Act and is a lawful direction.
CSNSW must consult on the policy and our first meeting has been organised for Wednesday of this week. Several staff have raised concerns relating to the announcement and we will table them at the meeting.
Once we have more information we will put out a bulletin.
Rapid Antigen Testing Rollout
CSNSW has implemented Rapid Antigen Screening (RAS). It is being rolled out in phases, with phase 1 introducing testing in the following locations:
CESU and court Locations
Surry Hills
- Amber Laurel
- CESU Silverwater – this includes CIG and Sent Admin
- Dubbo Cells
- Kariong
- Wollongong
Correctional Centres
- Bathurst CC
- MSPC
- Long Bay Hospital and Special Purpose Centre
- Broken Hill CC
- MRRC
- SWCC
- Tamworth CC
- MNCC
- Shortland CC – on 24.09.2021
- South Coast CC – on 24.09.2021
RAS is another barrier in our fight against the virus and has been working well. We have been informed that it gives members more confidence in the workplace.
There will be further phases, when we have more information on them we will put the information out in a bulletin.
Contact Details
Nicole Jess Chairperson 0427 609 199
Jason Charlton Vice Chairperson 0401 500 976
Natalie Howes Secretary 0407 011 441
Mark Hutchinson Assistant Secretary 0410 031 963
Darren King Country Vice Chair 0407 935 039
Joshua Hamade Country Vice Chair 0456 249 991
Clinton Lamb Vice Chair Overseer 0400 709 144
David McCauley POVB Industrial Officer 0419 022 767
David Bartle POVB Industrial Officer 0418 425 976
Trish O’Brien Welfare Officer 0412 120 391