Standard Operating Procedure (COVID -19)
The purpose of this procedure is to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission and to provide details of how this is managed at HWH, in order to keep patients and staff safe.
Prior to Appointment
- Patient will have virtual half hour appointment with the Therapist where the Subjective examination is carried out (this is where the Therapist takes the history of the condition).
- During this appointment, the Therapist will explain to the patient the operating procedures, the consent form and the risk of attending for a face to face appointment. If it is deemed essential and safe to attend for a face to face appointment, this will then be booked in.
- A consent form will be returned to the Therapist electronically on the morning of any face to face appointment stating the patient has not got a temperature of 37.8 degrees or higher, has not got a cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, loss or altered sense of smell or taste, no abdominal pain or diarrhoea or general feeling of ill health
- Personal details will be taken and stored in accordance with GDPR so as to enable swift contact in the event of needing to cancel the appointment or providing details to the Governments test and trace system. Therapist contact details will be provided to the patient for the same reasons.
- Patients will arrive and knock on the door just 1-2 minutes before their appointment time.
- Patients will arrive alone for their appointment, unless it is deemed essential for a carer/dependant to accompany them. This must be previously arranged.
- All patients (and carers) to wear a face mask, if this is forgotten, they must purchase one from the Therapist for £2.
- Patients will limit the amount of personal items brought in with them.
- On arrival at the clinic, patients will be asked to sanitise their hands with gel provided.
During the Appointment
- The Therapist and patient will stay 2m away from each other as much as possible.
- Closer contact will be kept to 15 minutes as per current guidelines.
- The Therapist will be wearing PPE as recommended by current guidelines
- PPE will include the use of disposable non-latex gloves, disposable apron, fluid resistant surgical mask, visor for examination.
- The Therapist will also be wearing scrubs which will be removed at the end of the session prior to leaving the clinic. Placed in a washable bag and all will be washed on its own at 60 degrees prior to next use.
- The Therapist will wash her hands before and after each patient and pre/post any internal examination.
- At the end of the appointment, the Therapist will show the patient out of the clinic and the patient will sanitise hands as they leave.
After the Appointment
- 15 minutes will be left between each patient to allow for airing and cleaning the room and to ensure no overlap of patients
- The Therapist will dispose of couch roll wipe down with anti-bacterial/viral wipes the waterproof pillow, couch, chair, door handles, taps and all other touch points.
- The Therapist will remove all PPE and dispose of this correctly
- All payments will be made via BACS transfer – details to be invoiced to the patient at time of booking
- Future appointments will be booked via email
Whilst all possible precautions will be taken to minimise transmission of COVID-19, it may not be possible to completely eliminate all risk. We therefore recommend a virtual appointment if at all possible, unless hands on treatment is deemed essential. If face to face is carried out, patients must agree to be contacted by Track and Trace if the Physiotherapist tests positive for COVID-19.