Covid-19 Policy

Main points for clients to note before attending an appointment

  • Please let us know if you have tested positive to Covid-19, have had symptoms of Covid-19 or have been in close contact with someone with Covid-19 in the last 7 days.
  • Please arrive on time for appointments, not early or late, to prevent client overlap.
  • Please come alone to your appointment, unless you are minor or need assistance.
  • To minimise exposure to all, please plan ahead in order not to use the toilet (but it will be available should you need it).
  • Please bring your own water to drink.

Privacy during Covid-19 pandemic

  • In the event that the therapists or a close family member contracts Covid-19, confidentiality will not be able to be fully maintained and your details, due to Track and Trace measures the Government have put in place, will be shared with the appropriate agencies.
  • The therapist has a duty to inform you immediately if this occurs.

Appointment bookings

  • The gap between appointments is slightly longer to allow for hygiene measures and to ensure that clients do not overlap. 
  • We ask clients to avoid turning up early or late so we can prevent client overlap.
  • If clients are high-risk or vulnerable, the advice is to continue to use video/phone consultations until the shielding period has passed.
  • Clients are asked to come alone to appointments unless they are minors or need assistance.

Enhanced hygiene measures

  • We wash our hands before and after each client and before and after cleaning as well as regularly throughout the day.
  • We use antibacterial wipes/spray to wipe down all objects that clients may touch (door bell, office door handle, chair, desk surface, tissue box, card machine, handout folder, door handles on the way to toilet, toilet light switch, toilet, sink, tap). 
  • Paper towels are provided for after hand washing. 
  • Bins are emptied after each client.
  • Any objects which are non-essential in the office or difficult to wash have been removed (including carpet).
  • Clients are asked not to touch anything unnecessary in the consulting room.
  • Window are opened between clients and left ajar during consultations.
  • The toilet will be available, but clients are asked to avoid using unless absolutely necessary.

Pre-consultation checks

  • If a practitioner or anyone they are in close contact with has symptoms of the virus, we will change appointments to video/phone for the relevant period of time (as outlined by the government).
  • We email clients before appointments to check whether they:
    • have tested positive to Covid-19 in the last 7 days.
    • are in self-isolation.
    • have been in close contact with someone who has symptoms of COVID-19 (high temperature, persistent cough, loss of smell/taste).
  • If the answer is yes to either of these questions, we will change to a video/phone appointment or defer the appointment.  We will also advise to contact NHS 111 and stay at home. 
  • If the answer is no to these questions, we will ask the client to let us know if that changes before our appointment. 

During consultations

  • No physical contact is made during consultations.
  • Shoes need to be removed before entry to the consulting room.
  • Clients are asked to leave bags/coats in the car (out of sight in the boot).
  • We ask key workers, especially NHS frontline staff, to change out of work clothes before attending appointments.
  • We ask clients to use hand sanitiser on arrival to protect other clients.
  • The space between the practitioner and clients during the consultations is 2m.
  • It is your choice if you would like your pulse taken. If you do, it will be done from a 1m distance with the practitioner wearing a face covering.
  • If a client starts to show symptoms during the appointment or it seems they could be potentially be suffering with Covid-19, we will terminate the appointment and defer or move it online. We will encourage the client to have a test as soon as possible.

Post consultation

  • If a client contacts us within 7 days post-consultation to say they have tested Covid-19-positive, the practitioner will test/isolate themself and convert all consultations during the isolation period to video/phone consultations.

Shadow Work sessions

As well as all precautions detailed above, the following applies for Shadow Work appointments.

  • Shadow Work equipment is included in the pre and post appointment disinfecting regime.
  • All cloths touched are washed after each session.
  • Clients are asked to put their own tissues in the bag provided, which will be disposed of after the session.
  • Client and coach dry hands on paper towels provided and put in bag provided (as above).
  • There will be no physical touch during the session (which is normally the case). 

Hands-on therapies

As well as all general precautions detailed above, the following applies for hands-on therapy appointments.

  • Clients will need to wear a face covering during the treatment, unless it is required to be removed for the purpose of the treatment.
  • Clients are asked to place all clothes, shoes, and jewellery on the chair (which will be covered in couch roll). This is cleaned after each client.
  • Clients are asked to use hand sanitiser before having their treatment.
  • Some treatments are not being offered at this time (face & head massage, shirodhara).
  • There will not be svedana (final heating) and the massage will be longer, but otherwise the massage will be as usual. 
  • Therapist wears an apron, a visor and a face mask.  The apron, the sheets and the towels used are washed at 60°C after each client. The visor is cleaned after each client. The face mask is either disposed of or washed at 60°C at the end of the day.
  • The massage bed and oil warmer are cleaned after each client, along with other areas specified above.
  • It is recommended not to chat to avoid droplet formation.