Things have changed somewhat since the development of the global COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020. For patients who have an upcoming appointment with us, a number of additional safety precautions have been implemented which we would like you to be familiar with before visiting us. Our main priority is to keep you protected from COVID-19 and making sure that everyone stays safe and healthy. By following the precautions below, we can ensure that your appointment is as safe as possible.
For patients having a surgical procedure
All patients are required to have completed a COVID-19 test prior to the date of their procedure. Patients who have had the test will then be required to self isolate until the day of surgery. This means that you will need to stay at home which includes no trips to the supermarket, no walks in the park and no contact with anyone who is not part of your normal household. Your patient care coordinator is available to advise you on all aspects of this process and reinforce important details ahead of your day of surgery.
48 hours before an appointment
- Before your appointment you’ll receive an email confirming your appointment and which also provides you with a link to our COVID-19 screening form. Do not fill this form out straight away until you have arrived outside the clinic when it’s time for your consultation treatment or procedure. Whilst we always appreciate forms that are filled out in advance, in this particular case the COVID-19 screening form needs the most up-to-date responses hence why it should only be completed when you arrive at the clinic
- Patients should not attend the clinic if they or anyone in their household feel unwell and consider that it is related to COVID-19 (symptoms such as new and continuous cough, high temperature – 38.2 degrees C or above, loss of smell or taste)
- If symptomatic, patients should isolate for 7 days or until symptoms subside. If anyone in their household is symptomatic, they should isolate for 14 days.
At your scheduled appointment time
Patients are advised to bring their masks with them and they will need to wear it the entire time they are inside the clinic. It is not permitted to have masks with valves. If you forget your face mask, please ask the reception will be able to provide you with one.
Please complete the COVID-19 screening form prior to attending for your appointment. You will have been sent the link by your patient care coordinator in advance of your appointment. The form must be completed before a member of staff can allow you into the clinic.
When you are waiting outside the clinic, please continue to follow social distancing guidelines and avoid congregating in large groups at the front of the building to prevent excessive contact with others.
A member of staff will come to collect you when we are ready for you to come and see the doctor and will guide you from there. Upon arrival to the clinic, patients will be asked to confirm and declare that they do not display COVID-19 symptoms and have not been in contact with anyone with such symptoms. Patients are asked to use alcohol hand sanitiser upon entering and before leaving the clinic. We politely request that you wear your mask at all times whilst you are inside the clinic even when you are alone in an empty consulting room or when you are using the washroom. We ask that you attend the clinic unaccompanied. We are currently unable to allow patients with unconfirmed appointments to attend and walk-ins are not permitted.
We are working exceptionally hard to keep the clinic meticulously clean and sterile at all times. As a CQC regulated facility, we are already bound by strict infection prevention and control regulations which apply to all private healthcare facilities. We are proud to have invested state of the art HEPA-grade air filtration machines in our reception area to take our air purity levels to the highest possible standards. Our operating room ventilation system has been upgraded to add an extra layer of filtration efficiency to sterilise the air coming into the operating room.
Our staff, both clinical and non-clinical have received extensive training in COVID-19 safety protocols and are always wearing PPE and sanitising their hands before and after they interact with anyone. If there is no interaction with anyone for at least one hour, they will carry out hand sanitisation once per hour and this also applies for contact with services. Although it is now accepted that fomites are not considered to be a significant factor in the spread of the virus, our staff are taking full precautions and are regularly keeping surfaces clinically clean. All members of staff get screening twice a day, once before entering the clinic in the morning and secondly during the middle of the day. If any member of staff reports even the mildest of symptoms such as a headache or the development of a sniffle, they will be immediately sent home and asked to obtain a COVID-19 test at the earliest opportunity.
If you would like further information on our COVID-19 safety protocols, please call us today and speak to one of our patient care coordinators who will be able to give you up-to-date and accurate information on what we’re doing as a clinic to keep you safe from COVID-19.
