Adhering to guidelines
Throughout the pandemic, I will be following guidelines issued by the government, NHS, other relevant authorities and my professional association, the Federation of Holistic Therapists, regarding safe and hygienic practice and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). In addition, the NHS Test and Trace QR code will be available for all clients to scan.
COVID-19 Risk Assessment
I have carried out a full risk assessment, in line with guidance from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), in order to:
identify what work activity or situations might cause transmission of the virus;
think about who could be at risk;
decide how likely it is that someone could be exposed;
and to act to remove the activity or situation, or if this isn’t possible, control the risk.
Health screening
Prior to seeing any of my clients, I will be:
monitoring my own health and undertake a Lateral Flow Test 2-3 times per week and deferring treatments if I have COVID-19 or symptoms of COVID-19.
contacting my clients 24 hours in advance and deferring any treatments if:
they have COVID-19 or symptoms of COVID-19; are clinically extremely vulnerable and shielding;
anyone in their household has COVID-19 or symptoms of COVID-19;
they have been in close contact with someone who has symptoms of COVID-19 in the past 14 days;
they have been contacted by the NHS Test and Trace Service and told to self isolate.
asking my clients to call and cancel and defer treatment on the morning of their appointment if they have a temperature or other symptoms of COVID-19.
Enhanced cleaning and hygiene measures
I have introduced enhanced cleaning and hygiene measures between clients, which includes washing and disinfecting any non-porous surfaces and therapy equipment, such as chairs and couches, and replacing any non-porous or single-use items, such as towels and couch roll. Strict personal hygiene measures will also be adhered to, including regular handwashing/sanitising.
Adapting or restricting treatments
It may be necessary for me to adapt or restrict certain treatments, in order to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 and/or protect my clients’ health and safety. Any clients likely to be impacted will be advised as soon as possible. As per government guidelines, from 8th August 2020 Clients must wear a face covering for the treatment, unless exempt.
Maintaining social distancing
Please note that while many treatments involve close contact, I will be observing social distancing measures wherever possible. This might include, for example, maintaining an appropriate distance during the consultation process, and when arriving and leaving for an appointment.
Cancellations policy
If a treatment is cancelled or deferred at short notice because my client has COVID-19 or has symptoms of COVID-19, any standard cancellation fees will be waivered. The client will be asked to kindly confirm in writing that their appointment has been cancelled or deferred because they have COVID-19 or symptoms of COVID-19.
