Covid -19 Guidelines

As you will be aware all public places have created new rules for visitors to follow for their safety and the safety of others. Please read through before attending the clinic. If you have any further questions, please let me know.

Social distancing
We ask all visitors to the clinic to maintain a two-metre distance from all other people in the clinic at all times. The only exception to this is with your practitioner who will let you know when it is appropriate to approach under two metre and for how long.

For social distancing reasons, unless you require assistance for specific support and care needs, we ask you to come alone for the appointment where possible unless a chaperone, parent or carer is required. Please leave accessory items (bags and coats) in the car, or travel with as little as possible.

Walk and Talk Consultation
The consultation is the first step to getting well and where we will work together and begin to unearth the root causes of your condition.
 
Julia is happy to consult in nature walking and talking .
 

Before arrival
If you or someone you live with develops symptoms of COVID-19 by the time of the appointment, please contact me before attending the clinic.

 

Collecting medicine
We have spaced out patient arrivals and departures so that all visitors to the clinic can remain socially distanced:

You will receive a specific time for arrival. We would be grateful if you could collect medicine at exactly that time. Direct contact with patients is kept to an absolute minimum.

Entering the clinic
When you arrive, please wait for a text from the practitioner before entering. 


  • When you arrive, make sure you keep two 
metre distance from all other clinic visitors at all times. 
Handwashing 
Please wash your hands immediately upon entering the clinic. You will be directed to the appropriate facilities. There will be a poster nearby to demonstrate handwashing techniques as recommended by the NHS. Please also wash your hands before leaving the clinic. 
This video on hand washing from the Department of Health and Social Care is a useful tool.

Face mask and respiratory hygiene
We are recommending that patients wear ordinary surgical masks to the clinic. You may bring your own or ask your practitioner to provide one for you upon entering the clinic.
If you need to sneeze or cough while in the clinic, please do so into a disposable tissue and throw it away immediately. Please wash your hands immediately after doing so.

We are also encouraging cashless payment where possible.

Our clinic has instituted some new procedures to minimise risk of transmission of COVID- 19. I would appreciate it if you could answer the following questions:

In the last seven days:

  • Have you had a high temperature? (this can mean feeling hot to touch on your chest 
and back – you do not need to measure your temperature) 

  • Have you had a new continuous cough? (this means coughing a lot for more than an Cough, it may be worse than usual) 

  • Have you lost sensations of taste or smell? 

  • Have you had close contact (under 2 metres) with anyone with a confirmed COVID- 
19 diagnosis or someone exhibiting the above 3 symptoms in the last 14 days? 

  • Have you recently travelled abroad and/or been instructed by the Government to quarantine? 

  • Have you been contacted by the Government or NHS and told to self-isolate for any reason? 

  • Do you fall under the clinically vulnerable category or the clinically extremely vulnerable category (see below)? 

  • Do you live with someone who is in either the clinically vulnerable category or the clinically extremely vulnerable category (see below)? 
I have taken the necessary Government mandated steps of conducting a risk assessment and instituting new social distancing, hygiene, hand-washing and PPE procedures in my practice to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission. In the course of the consultation I will have to have non-socially distanced contact with you to perform the treatment, hence while I will meet very high standards of infection protection control, it is impossible to completely eliminate risk. Please let me know that you understand this and are happy to proceed with the treatment. 


Clinically vulnerable people

People in this category of risk include:

  1. Anyone aged 70 and older (regardless of medical conditions). 

  2. Anyone under 70 with an underlying health condition (that is, anyone instructed to get a flu jab as an adult each year on medical grounds) – such as: 

  3. chronic (long-term) mild to moderate respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis.
  4. Chronic heart disease, such as heart failure, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis,chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), a learning disability or cerebral palsy o diabetes a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or medicines (such as steroid tablets )
  5. Seriously overweight (a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above),pregnant women

Clinically extremely vulnerable people

  1. this category of risk include: Solid organ transplant recipients. People with specific cancers:
  2. People with lung cancer who are undergoing radical
  3. People with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy radiotherapy. 

  4. People with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia, lymphoma or 
myeloma who are at any stage of treatment.
  5. People having immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments for cancer.
  6. People having other targeted cancer treatments which can affect the immune 
system, such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors. 
people who have had bone marrow or stem cell transplants in the last 6 months, or who are still taking immunosuppression drugs 
People with severe respiratory conditions including all cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 
People with rare diseases that significantly increase the risk of infections (such as severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), homozygous sickle cell).
  7. 
People on immunosuppression therapies sufficient to significantly increase risk of infection. 
Women who are pregnant with significant heart disease, congenital or acquired. 
Other people have also been classed as clinically extremely vulnerable, based on clinical judgement and an assessment of their needs. GPs and hospital clinicians have been provided with guidance to support these decisions.