We Are Open & Remaining Vigilant

Things have remained at the same level of heightened infection control since the re-introduction of a 3rd nation-wide lockdown on Monday 4th January 2021, Summertown Clinic will be open and operating in line with government and regulatory advice.

On Wednesday 24th November 2021 the government published new guidelines for health care professionals which you can view here.

As a result you may notice that your practitioners are no longer wearing gloves and aprons. They will of course continue to wear a mask (as we require our patients too as well at the moment), triaging to reduce the risk of contacting someone with the virus, and will maintain their high standards of cleaning between patients.

We are doing the following things to keep you safe:

1) Triage, and self assessment before all our patients arrive, this is now an online form that you’ll be sent and will be reviewed by your practitioner. This will establish whether a face to face (hands on) treatment is required, and you’re in agreement with the possible risks associated with venturing outdoors and attending the clinic. Other possible treatment options may be offered to you including telehealth (Online consultations).

2) Our Key Infection Control Procedures – we’ve done an in depth risk assessment and created a COVID-19 safeguarding policy in line with best practice. This includes;

• removing any items that might encourage contact (newspapers, leaflets, cards etc)
• we may ask you for payment prior to your appointment to avoid the need to spend longer at the reception desk, or will continue to use online payment methods as appropriate.
• we’re asking all patients to come in by themselves to decrease the contact risk (please let us know if you need to bring someone else – translator, chaperone, or child)
• there’s a hand sanitiser on the wall before you come in so all patients are encouraged to wash their hands.
• we’re disinfecting the rooms between appointments, this involves cleaning all contacted surfaces with disinfectant and aerating rooms (leaving time between patients to achieve this)
• all our practitioners are wearing PPE in accordance with the PHE guidelines, namely; Type IIR fluid resistant masks. We have face shields, aprons, gloves, and glasses if you would like us to wear them please feel free to ask. We will also risk assess the use of these depending on what techniques we are doing and explain why we’ve changed our PPE as appropriate.
• All our practitioners have undergone training in the use of PPE, and our new infection control procedures.
• Our reception staff are back working, but we will keep the windows open to add to the ventilation in the reception area. This may mean it will be cold so please come warmly dressed.
• Staggering our appointments to avoid patients meeting each other – often 5 minutes apart – so please be punctual.

3) Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – we’re following PHE guidance (as above), and we’re asking all patients to cover their face in and around the clinic with a mask or other face covering, or if you forget we can supply a mask..

4) A One Way System Through The Clinic – we’ve organised a system of people flow through the clinic to help keep distancing. Please look for the arrows on the floor.

Your patient experience is really important to us, and underneath the PPE, and the new systems are the same great practitioners, offering the same great level of service as before, so somethings won’t change!

Last Updated: 5th December 2021