We’re open for practise with COVID-19 secure gudelines
We are now open for all treatments, in line with the British Acupuncture Council COVID-19 Secure Guidelines
Risk Assessment
We have undertaken a risk assessment on the premises and practise, and have made the necessary changes to mitigate and minimise all identified risks, as per BAcC and HSE and government guidelines. The important aspects you need to be aware of, are as below.
The acupuncturist carries out a risk assessment regarding each patient, to ensure that attending in person is appropriate, as for example if you are shielding or in a high risk group, this still will not be possible for the time being.
Telephone triage/screening before you attend
Please also note that your practitioner will contact you on the day of treatment to check that you are not symptomatic of Covid-19, and other related checks to ensure it’s safe for you to attend.
The acupuncturist will do as much of the verbal consultation on the telephone prior to the appointment to minimise the amount of time exposure in the treatment room. They will discuss your symptoms and circumstances with you.
All this is in line with the guidelines for safe practise of our regulatory body, the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC), and national government guidance.
Consent
You will need to complete a specific consent form in order to undertake treatment at this time, your acupuncturist will advise on the specifics of this.
Changes to the rooms and equipment
In accordance with government guidelines and those of the BAcC British Acupuncture Council we have made changes to the rooms in which we practise, and the way in which we work in order to do so safely in this unprecedented time. You will notice less chairs, no waiting area (a chair is provided for emergencies) and you are encouraged not to use the toilet onsite unless in an emergency. You’ll notice more posters and safety equipment, as well as the use of PPE for you and the practitioner in the treatment room.
You’ll be asked to wash your hands or use alcohol gel on entering the premises, and you’ll see more in the way of cleaning equipment occurring. You’ll be reminded to keep 2 metres away from anyone from outside your household, including the practitioner; with the exception of the treatment itself where PPE is used due to unavoidable proximity. Your treatment may be shorter than usual, as we will have completed the talking element of the treatment by phone, prior to the treatment. We intend to minimise the time we spend in the 2-metre zone, to less than 15mins,- minimising both our risk. We will leave larger gaps between patients so that cleaning can take place between patients.
Useful to know on the day
If you are attending for urgent care the following is a useful reminder (although not exhaustive and you will have discussed with your acupuncturist):
- Check your symptoms and those of your household – your acupuncturist will make a pre-appointment phone call to screen for this
- Use the toilet before you leave home as we need to keep the numbers of users to a minimum as cleaning is needed between users (you can of course use it in an emergency but must let your practitioner know so that they can arrange cleaning)
- Be on time, and not early as there is no waiting facility. We recommend travelling by car, walking or cycling. If you must use public transport, there are specific government guidelines on this here including mandatory masks on public transport, for example
- Do not wait outside the front door, or use the buzzers, instead text your practitioner from your car, or text from the car park or pavement outside whilst keeping socially distant from anyone else who is waiting
- Bring the minimum of items with you, so no shopping or large bags, and please bring the items your practitioner requests, e.g. face mask, towel, bottle of water
Further information
Specific government advice for this sector, should you wish to read it first-hand is here: Close contact working
Bear in mind that guidance changes, sometimes daily as a result of the R number and the government’s 5 tests, and therefore and we will keep this up to date as this happens, but the primary source of what can and cannot be safely done remains government guidelines here: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus – which over-arches all of the above.
Information correct per government websites at 14/07/2020
Helen
in particular if you are using over the counter medications, they can advise you of contraindications and interactions they may have with your prescribed medications.
The research evidence for acupuncture is growing, and we find that medical professionals are more and more aware of what we do, in some cases recommending acupuncture for particular conditions, so be sure to tell you GP if you are thinking of acupuncture, and keep them up to date on how you are getting along.