What Compleet Feet Podiatry are Doing to Protect Patients and Staff During COVID-19 Times October 2020
Compleet Feet has kept it’s clinical doors open since the beginning of March ’20 ‘lock-down’. First treating emergency patients, to eventually being allowed to treat all cases. All policies and decisions being made and implemented, are directed and governed by The College of Podiatry and other relevant bodies to include the Government. We are in regular contact with Department of Health. We take the health and well-being of our patients and staff very seriously. Prevention and awareness are key.
Podiatry Low Risk Clinical Service
Podiatry is deemed a low-risk clinical specialism. Rates of Covid-19 transmission is low. We do not perform aerosol generating procedures like dentists. We do not work near mucous membranes. We practice approximately 1 metre distance from face. We do not produce viral droplets during a treatment. Viral droplets do not pass through skin of the foot. Infection is not transmitted from touched blood products. We are not required to leave a room to ‘fallow’ for any length of time.
Booking Appointments/ Keeping Patients Informed
All patient categories can be treated. Waiting lists for urgent appointments e.g. ingrowing nails are 1-2 week wait. Patients can book online and request an eConsult to avoid coming into clinic. Zoom consultations can be arranged. Practice information can be accessed direct from our website: www.compleetfeet.co.uk.
There is an informative Facebook page, providing regular news and updates
Current Clinical Cleaning Procedures:
- Strict PPE – masks, aprons, gloves
- Patients to wear masks during appointment
- Perspex protective screens
- Patient couch cleaned thoroughly after each session
- Equipment, surfaces cleaned regularly throughout a clinical session
- Patients advised not to touch door fittings and fixtures
- Hand sanitizers placed at various locations if required
- Rooms left to ventilate
- Rooms fogged, mopped after each clinical session
Sterilisation of instruments no change. Normal procedure of scrub, soak, ultrasonic clean and autoclave.
Reception and Waiting Areas
- All reception staff wear masks
- All visitors, patients must wear face coverings
- QR tracking code on display for scanning
- Rule of 6. No more than 6 people in reception area at Alton; accompanying visitors told to wait outside
- Rule of 4 at Westbourne due to smaller size of reception area.
- Alton: Traffic flow regulated through an entrance door and exited out an exit door
- Floor marked out and chairs placed apart for social distancing at both clinics
- Hand sanitisers located at reception, on entering and at seating points
- No magazines on display
- Day before appointment, patients contacted and asked relevant screening questions
- If any concerns raised patient asked to rebook at a later date
- On day of appointment temperature taken on arrival
- Thorough cleaning to include fogging at end of day
Shoe Retail
- Active marketing of all footwear has ceased to keep footfall down
- Footwear is till being sold and ordered, but on low-key basis
- Individuals trying on footwear must wear socks. Pop-socks provided.
- All tried on shoes sanitised after wear in Klenz sanitiser
- No returns policy
Staff COVID-19 Policy
- Staff temperatures taken on a daily basis
- Staff to practice mindfulness and common sense in and out of the workplace
- Staff to try and keep a respectable distance from each other
- Must not congregate in reception
- Part-time ‘bubbles’; not all staff in on same days to reduce social interaction
- If unwell with any symptoms of a cold advised not to come in and get well
- If any signs of Covid-19 to follow national guidelines regarding testing
- To report directly to management of Covid concerns for an immediate risk assessment to be implemented and relevant action to be taken
- All patients will be contacted whom may have come into direct contact with potentially infected member of staff
- Department of Health will be contacted to follow their instructions on opening, closure etc.
