Covid Risk assessment and Protocol for Emma Hayward Osteopathy

Risk Assessment for re-opening Emma Hayward Osteopathy at Ikigai Holistic Wellbeing Centre.

Background to the COVID-19 Pandemic

The current pandemic caused by a virus known as SARS-CoV-2, resulting in COVID-19 disease, has resulted in many changes in our everyday lives.

 

It is currently understood that the virus spreads mainly through the respiratory tract via a direct inhalation of droplets, and indirectly from contacting infected surfaces and then touching one’s face. COVID-19 symptoms include fever, cough, fatigue, sputum production, shortness of breath, sore throat, loss of sensation of smell or taste. Some may not develop any symptoms.

We take the health of our patients and our practitioners seriously and have produced this risk assessment document for safe re-opening of the Emma Hayward Osteopathy clinic within Ikigai Holistic.

 

Identified areas of risk

Suggestion of changes to improve the risk

  1. Minimising risk from home and travel to the osteopathy room

Patients are requested to attend their appointment with as minimal exposure to COVID-19 as possible on their way to the clinic  ->

Please arrive directly from home where possible, ideally freshly showered and wearing freshly laundered clothing.

Patients wishing to shop on the day are politely requested to do so after their appointment.

2. Minimising traffic in the waiting area

20 minutes gaps between appointments to avoid contact with other patients.

Patient are asked to arrive at the exact time of their appointment, please do not arrive early. Please wait outside or in your car if you are early for your appointment.

We ask that you do not sit on the couch or chairs in the waiting room. 

3. Minimising transmission

Every patient is to fill in a COVID-19 triage electronic form before their in-clinic appointment.

Please cancel your appointment should you develop symptoms. 

Patients in the high risk/ shielding group cannot be currently treated.

4. Minimising contact time during appointments

Patients to fill in a symptom triage form before every appointment.

New patients – 1 hour appointment split into 2 parts – 1st part consisting of 30 minutes of case history taking on the phone;

2nd part consisting of 30 minute in-clinic/ face-to-face appointment; both to happen on the same day when possible or within

24 hours.

Follow-up appointments – 40 minute appointment split into 2 parts – 1st part consisting of 10 minutes of symptom update/ discussion

taken on the phone; 2nd part consisting of 30 minute in-clinic/ face-to-face appointment; both to happen on the same day when

possible or within 24 hours.

Please do not bring a family member with you to the appointment. Chaperones are also requested to complete COVID-19 triage form in advance.

For Paediatric appointments, we ask that only one parent attends the appointment with the baby/child. The exception to this if one parent has had recent surgery and needs assistance in carrying child up the outside stairs. All attending will need to complete a covid triage form. 

Please don’t bring any other siblings to the treatment.

For paediatric appointments, I ask that you bring a clean unused muslin for your baby to lye on. Please bring your own toys and books. If your child is crawling, please hold them and keep them off the floor during the consultation.

Any clinical equipment used during the consultation will be sterilised with cleaning solution after any use. 

5. Virus transmission from inanimate surface to human

Removal of all soft furnishings and unnecessary items prior re-opening.

     Internal doors will be left open from waiting room to hallway and the toilet door. 

20 minutes gaps between appointments -> to allow for ventilation.

All soft furnishings removed and/or replaced with wipe-able surfaces and use of paper roll.

Allow aeration of treatment room for 20+ minutes with the door and windows open.

Wiping down of all hard surfaces within treatment room with recommended surface cleanser between every consultation.

Wiping down of commonly used touch surfaces such as the door handles, taps, out side staircase rail, every hour. 

We ask that all patients use the available hand sanitiser on the wall outside the Centre door, before using the buzzer and entering. 

The whole Wellbeing Centre will be deep cleaned before each clinic session.

6. Virus transmission from patient to practitioner

Triaging and minimising contact time, see point 5.

Patient to sanitise hands on arrival in the clinic room.

Adult patients asked to bring their own face covering to appointments.

Practitioner to use PPE as guided by PHE (Public Health England). This will include, mask, apron and gloves. 

7. Virus transmission from practitioner to patient

Minimising contact time, see points 4 and 5.

Practitioner to test temperature daily and monitor other COVID-19 related symptoms (including members of their household).

Practitioner to arrive directly from home, freshly showered and wearing freshly laundered clothing.

Practitioner to change into clinic freshly laundered attire.

Practitioner to change their apron between patients.

Practitioner to wash hands and forearms before and after every patient.

Practitioner to use PPE as guided by PHE.

Gloves, apron and paper rolls to be disposed in closed-lid pedal bin located outside the treatment room, and double bagged for

72 hours before disposal.

 

8. Payments

Payments will be contactless and the practitioner will forward an email with a       payment link after the telephone call prior to the face to face part of the consultation. 

Bank transfers are also accepted if you have already arranged this. 

    We ask that you do not bring cash due to the potential infection risk.