Covid policy

Covid policy

This policy has been created based on guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

We would like to thank all of our patients for their patience during this period and for their understanding and cooperation whilst we implement new measures at the practice. Our clinic is small so it is imperative we minimise the risk of cross-infection.

Before attending the clinic

If you have coronavirus symptoms, (as outlined by the NHS and UK Government and listed below), you should try to stay at home:

• Fever
• Cough
• Breathlessness
• Change in smell or taste
• Fatigue
• Aches
• Blocked or runny nose
• Sore throat
• Diarrhoea
• Nausea or vomiting

Please let us know if you have symptoms in advance of your appointment, and in line with NICE guidelines please do not come to the clinic. Please either reschedule your appointment or request a remote appointment, which can be by phone or a video call on Zoom or FaceTime.

Please refer to https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus for up to date advice and support.

Please endeavour to arrive no more than five minutes before your scheduled appointment and no more than five minutes after your appointment is scheduled - this is to reduce the likelihood that you will come into contact with other patients.

One adult is able to attend with a child or an adult carer with another adult. Please do not bring additional family members with you unless they are happy to wait in the car or outside the building.

Arriving at the Clinic



We ask that you sanitise your hands using the hand sanitiser available to you and invite you to wear a face covering as the virus is spread by an infected person's mouth or nose - one will be provided if you do not have one.

If you need to use the WC, please let a member of staff know and they will direct you to the facilities. Remember to wash your hands thoroughly before leaving.

Once your appointment is finished please leave the premises in a timely manner to avoid the likelihood of meeting the next patient. We schedule a minimum of 15 minutes between appointments to support this.

Clinic Procedures

We have spent time critically looking at every aspect of the practice with a view to removing all non essential items that can potentially be a cause of infection, so you may find that the practice will appear to be quite bare if you attend.

All clinical and common areas, including door handles and surfaces, will be regularly disinfected in line with Government advice/guidance.

We schedule a buffer period between patients to allow time for additional decontamination procedures, allow for any treatment overruns, and allow preparation time for the next patient so that they do not need to wait in the reception area.

Clinical Procedures

Clinical and patient-facing staff will, when appropriate, be using personal protective equipment (PPE) in line with current recommendations and evidence.

Review

Our policies and procedures will be constantly reviewed and updated as necessitated by circumstances and the best available evidence over time.

If you have any questions regarding this policy or about your treatment, please do not hesitate to contact reception@appletree.clinic

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