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Risk assessment

Clinical reasoning and risk assessment remain the fundamental principles for considering how to provide care for patients. 

To enable clinicians to continue to provide face to face appointments safely the following processes and consideration can be used:  

  • Risk assess for COVID-19 symptoms prior to face-to-face appointment if possible.
  • Advise people not to attend their appointment if they are unwell.
  • Adhere to infection prevention control measures including appropriate use of PPE where required. 
  • Consider measures to improve ventilation. 
  • You should not be treating people who are a probable or confirmed case of COVID-19 unless they require urgent treatment that cannot be delivered by a service elsewhere or by a clinician already in contact with the patient.  

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

Clinicians should assess the infection risk with their patient before a face-to-face visit through a risk assessment. This enables clinicians to assess their own PPE requirements and their patients’ requirements before commencing face-to-face treatment.  

The level of PPE required for clinician and patient depends on the infection risk of the patient, and the nature of the care needing to be provided. 

Please refer to PPE guidance for healthcare settings and specific PPE respiratory physiotherapy guidelines below. 

Clinical rehabilitation for people with long COVID

This guidance is intended to provide clinical guidance on long COVID conditions in both children and adults in Aotearoa New Zealand.

It is an evidence-based summary that covers the definition and diagnosis of long COVID. It seeks to provide the best evidence currently available to assist informed decision-making to improve the health, vocational and social outcomes for individuals with long COVID.
 
There are also two summary fact sheets available – for clinicians, and for individuals and whānau.

Long COVID for health professionals

Guidance for the acute phase of rehabilitation of people with or recovering from COVID-19 in Aotearoa New Zealand

The purpose of this document is to highlight the complexity and potential long-term needs of people recovering from COVID-19 and to demonstrate the importance of the allied, scientific and technical workforce in reducing the short- and long-term health and wellbeing implications of COVID-19 infection.

Minimising risks of COVID-19 transmission in medical imaging rooms

This document provides guidance for medical imaging departments in a hospital setting to manage suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients.