Changes to clinical procedures
The safety and health of patients, the clinic personnel and everyone’s close contacts are of paramount importance. Therefore, the procedures below are to be followed. These procedures are in line with government and General Osteopathic Council guidelines.
Patients will be telephoned prior to any appointment to check whether they have any symptoms that might indicate a possible Covid-19 infection, ie: new dry cough, increased temperature, excessive fatigue, difficulty breathing.
People can be infectious for up to 5 days before they develop symptoms. So if you have been in recent contact with anyone who has, or subsequently develops, symptoms you must contact the clinic prior to your appointment.
Should you develop symptoms within the 5 days following your appointment, please inform us as you may have been infectious when you attended.
In the event of any of the above occurring between the telephone call and your appointment, please call as alternatives to a face to face consultation will be discussed.
Should your practitioner, or a member of their family be affected in the same way, you will be contacted as they will then be in self isolation for 14 days.
Patients considered as ‘vulnerable’, will be offered a telephone or online video consultation.
We reserve the right to decline treatment to anyone attending with symptoms.
Patients will be asked to arrive at the time of their appointment, and not before, to minimise the number of people within the clinic at the same time.
For patients who have to be driven to their appointment, please ask the driver to wait in the car.
For patients who require 3rd party assistance, this will be permitted as long as they are from the same household and follow the above procedure. Please inform us in advance. If at all possible, we would prefer that patients attend alone.
On entering the clinic patients will be asked to wash their hands or use supplied hand sanitiser.
Patients will be required to wear a facemask during the consultation. Whilst these can be supplied, we have limited stock so request that you please bring your own, if at all possible.
A gap will be left between appointments to have time to aerate the room and clean. All surfaces touched by patients will be wiped with an alcohol-based sanitiser, including chairs, door handles, taps, toilet flush, desk surfaces, clothes hangers etc.
The pillowcase and treatment table will be covered with disposable paper and have wipeable covers to be cleaned between patients.
Your practitioner will be wearing PPE in line with guidelines. This will include a facemask, apron, and possibly protective glasses. These will be changed, washed or disposed of appropriately. Donning and doffing of PPE will follow NHS procedures. Handwashing will be thorough, both before and after each patient.
Payment for your consultation should be by contactless card payment if possible. Alternatively bank transfers can be arranged, either in advance or within 24 hours of your appointment. This is to avoid any risk associated with the passing of cash or cheques.
Should guidelines change due to national or local events, patients will be contacted in advance of their appointment.
Thank you for your understanding.