COVID-19

Covid-19

Making Garforth Acupuncture Clinic Covid-19 secure for everyone's piece of mind

The Government alongside The Health and Safety Executive have issued detailed guidance providing new standards for Businesses in England to meet before they can reopen. This guidance is referred to as Working safely during coronavirus . There are five steps to safer working together and managing the risk of Covid-19. 

HOW GARFORTH ACUPUNCTURE CLINIC WILL IMPLEMENT THE FIVE STEPS TO ENSURE IT IS COVID-19 SECURE 

STEP ONE: Carry out a Covid-19 risk assessment - 
  • The following information incorporates a risk assessment specific to Garforth Acupuncture Clinic which addresses the risks of Covid-19, using the guidance from the Government, The Health and Safety Executive and the British Acupuncture Council. This is an ongoing process and will require re-assessment on a regular basis considering any changes in advice or circumstances. Making Garforth Acupuncture Clinic 'Covid-19 secure' minimizes but does not eliminate the risk to clients.
  • Before attending Garforth Acupuncture Clinic a client will be screened for symptoms of Covid-19 with the following questions:
  1. Have you had a fever in the last 7 days?
  2. Do you now, or have you recently had, a persistent dry cough? (coughing a lot for more than an hour or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours or a worsening of a pre-existing cough)
  3. Have you been in contact with anyone in the last 14 days who has been diagnosed with Covid-19 or has coronavirus-type symptoms?
  4. Have you been told to stay home, self-isolate or self-quarantine? (due to having symptoms of covid-19, living with someone with symptoms, been in contact with someone with symptoms, advised to isolate by NHS test and trace or returned from abroad in the last 14 days)
  5. Do you have any other symptoms that may mean you have a Covid-19 infection? (loss of taste and smell, unusual fatigue or shortness of breath)
  • If the answer to any of these questions is YES then the person will be asked not to attend Garforth Acupuncture Clinic and advised to follow the Governments advice on self-isolating. 
  • During the initial consultation (by telephone) for both new and existing clients the Acupuncturist will need to establish if a client requesting an appointment is clinically extremely vulnerable or clinically vulnerable. The outcome of this assessment and the governments guidance on shielding will confirm if it is appropriate for the person to have acupuncture at that time. 
  • If the Acupuncturist or any of the members of their family display any of the above signs of Covid-19 then they will follow the Governments guidance on taking a test, self-isolating, informing close contacts and stop treating clients immediately. 
        
STEP TWO: Have cleaning, hand washing and hygiene procedures in line with guidance - 
  • Garforth Acupuncture Clinic will remove all non-essential items from the treatment room, entrance hall and toilet to assist in keeping the area clean.
  • All areas, items used, surfaces touched (including door handles, chairs, treatment tables, toilet, sink and pens) will be disinfected between clients. To allow time for this there will be a 15 minute break between appointments. 
  • All items used with the client will be single use, washable at 60 degrees or wipe clean. Clients can bring their own towel/wrap to use in the clinic room if they would prefer. 
  • When practical the room will be ventilated with outside air between clients.
  • Washable items will be used once then washed at 60 degrees.
  • Clients will be asked to wash or sanitize their hands immediately on entering the clinic.
  • The Acupuncturist will wash or sanitize their hands before and after touching the client and frequently throughout the treatment as required. 
  • Payment should be made via bank transfer before the treatment takes place. Cash or cheque will be accepted if a bank transfer is not possible. The Acupuncturist will wash or sanitize their hands after handling cash or a cheque. 
  • People in the clinic should cover any coughs or sneezes with a tissue, then dispose of the tissue in a bin and immediately wash their hands.
STEP THREE: Take all reasonable steps to help people work from home -  (this step is not relevant to Garforth Acupuncture Clinic)

STEP FOUR: Take all reasonable steps to maintain a 2 metre distance in the workplace - 
  • There will be a 15 minute gap between appointments to allow for cleaning and to avoid more than one client being at the clinic at any one time.
  • When a client arrives at the clinic they will be asked to remain in their car until they are invited in by the Acupuncturist.
  • If a client normally attends with a companion. The companion will be asked to wait in the car.
  • The initial consultation, history taking and screening will be done over the telephone. This will help to reduce face to face contact time. To further reduce contact time, once the needles are in place the Acupuncturist will leave the room for the duration of the treatment providing the client with a call bell (or retreat to 2 metres away if the client would prefer).
  • Follow up appointments will include a telephone conversation prior to attendance at the clinic to discuss progress since the previous acupuncture treatment. This again will reduce the face to face contact time.
STEP FIVE: Where people cannot be 2 metres apart, do everything practical to manage transmission risk - It is acknowledged that acupuncture treatment will involve the Acupuncturist being close to clients and having physical contact with them. The Governments advice in this instance is to 'take all the mitigating actions possible to reduce the risk of transmission'. This includes:
  • Regular hand washing or hand sanitizing before, during and after the treatment.
  • Minimising contact time by the methods mentioned in STEP FOUR.
  • The Acupuncturist should wear a type IIR fluid resistant surgical mask during the treatment.
  • During the treatment the client will be required to wear a surgical mask of their own or one will be provided by Garforth Acupuncture Clinic. 
  • Disposable gloves can be worn by the acupuncturist but are not a substitute for frequent hand washing and are not necessary during a normal acupuncture session.
  • The acupuncturist must change clothes between clients if they become contaminated with droplet contaminants (if a person coughs or sneezes on them). The acupuncturists clothes should be washed at 60 degrees.
  • Tongue diagnosis should be done via a photograph sent by the client before the session.
  • Contact with the face or head is considered high risk for transmission so where possible alternative points will be chosen. 


 NHS TEST AND TRACE

The NHS test and trace service forms a central part of the Government's coronavirus recovery strategy. Anyone with symptoms will be tested and their close contacts will be traced. Those who have been in contact with someone who tests positive for coronavirus must self-isolate for 14 days, even if they have no symptoms, to avoid unknowingly spreading the virus.

The client is asked to inform the acupuncturist if they develop symptoms of Covid-19 within 48 hours of having an acupuncture treatment at Garforth Acupuncture Clinic. At this point the Acupuncturist will advise the client to arrange a test as soon as possible to confirm if the symptoms are in fact coronavirus. If the test is positive, the Acupuncturist will close the clinic and self-isolate for 14 days. If the test is negative Garforth Acupuncture Clinic can remain open. 

If the Acupuncturist or any members of their family develop symptoms of Covid-19. Garforth Acupuncture Clinic will close immediately and a test will be arranged as soon as possible. The Acupuncturist will contact anyone they have been in close contact with in the last 48 hours to inform them, pending the results of the test. If the Acupuncturist tests positive for Coronavirus it will be necessary to provide the names and contact details of anyone the Acupuncturist has been in contact with (48 hours prior to developing symptoms) to NHS Test and Trace. 
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