COVID-19 Guidance

In-Person (and On-line) Services

Reflections Psychology Clinic is offering in-person services as well as on-line, video (Zoom) appointments. However, in-person services may be more limited and clinician availability may be influenced by a number of different factors.

The following protocol will be in place for attendance at the clinic. If you are unable/unwilling to agree to adhere to the following protocol, please let us know and we will discuss this with you. Otherwise, it will be assumed that you consent and agree to follow the protocol. If the client is your child, it will be assumed that you agree to support your child to follow the protocol.

Whilst we have taken care to put appropriate measures in place in order to lower the risk posed by Covid-19, clients and visitors should carefully consider their attendance at clinic, taking into account personal risk factors as well as the measures we have in place. Please note that all information is subject to change and, depending on covid risk levels and individual circumstances, it may be necessary to change in-person appointments to telephone or online, video (Zoom) appointments, and sometimes at short notice.

CLINIC ATTENDANCE PROTOCOL

Before You Leave Home

You should not plan to attend the clinic if:

·         You have experienced any symptoms of coronavirus/ tested positive for coronavirus within the last 10 days;

·         Anyone in your household has experienced any symptoms of coronavirus/ tested positive for coronavirus during the last 10 days;

·         You have been in close contact with someone with coronavirus within the last 10 days;

·         If you are over 70, have a long-term condition, are pregnant or have a weakened immune system, please refer to medical advice.

1.    Check for symptoms:  a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back , a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual), a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal.

2.    Check your temperature. You should not plan to attend the clinic if you have a temperature of 37.8C or higher.

3.    Ensure you leave home with enough clothing to keep warm bearing in mind that windows will be opened in the clinic to allow for ventilation.

4.    Bring your own drinks with you (if required) as unfortunately we cannot provide these (please take any bottles home with you afterwards).

5.    Bring a face covering*.

6.    Wash your hands with soap and water before attending the clinic and when arriving home.

7.    Avoid bringing chaperones wherever possible.

*some exemptions apply to the wearing of face coverings in enclosed public spaces.

Arriving at the clinic

1.    Please wait outside the main entrance to the clinic at your appointment time (we are not operating a waiting room).

2.    Arrive at the entrance already wearing your face covering.

3.    Use hand sanitiser upon entry to the clinic and upon exit.

Inside the Clinic

1.    Maintain a 2 metre distance from other people at all times where possible. Where it is not possible to maintain a 2 metre distance additional measures will be put in place to reduce risk e.g. reducing the amount of time spent in close contact, minimising the number of persons present, ventilating the room by opening windows, sitting alongside instead of face to face, and sanitising materials used.

2.    Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze.

3.    Put used tissues in the bin straight away and wash your hands afterwards.

4.    Avoid touching any part of your face.

5.    If you use the toilet facilities, please wash your hands with soap and water if you do so (for at least 20 seconds) and adhere to any other infection control guidance displayed in the toilet facilities.

6.    Avoid touching unnecessary surfaces.

When Leaving the Clinic

1.    Use hand sanitiser on your way out.

2.    Wash your hands when you arrive home.

·         For your information, some of the general hygiene and social distancing measures we have in place include:

·         Provision of hand sanitiser at the entrance and in the clinic room and toilet;

·         Regular cleaning systems;

·         Provision of close lid bins in clinic rooms for the disposal of tissues;

·         Hygienic hand washing provisions and use of toilet facilities;

·         Procedures in place to reduce the number of people present at clinics by keeping clinician/client attendance at a minimum;

·         Asking clients to wait outside the clinic prior to their appointment;

·         Sanitising clinic rooms between clients.

Please do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions at all. We will be more than happy to help and are keen to be responsive to any feedback you may have.

Finally, please inform us immediately if you experience symptoms of Covid-19 which have developed within 14 days after attending one of our clinics.

For information about the symptoms of coronavirus, how it is spread, how to seek advice and treatment, and whether you should be self-isolating please see official NHS advice at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

Download this policy (word document)