The Movement Clinic
(Hungerford sports massage & Pilates with Dale)
Dale Anker - Soft Tissue Therapist & Pilates Instructor
Clinic Procedures in Relation to Covid-19 in regard to Soft tissue treatments.
The purpose of this policy is to set out The Movement Clinics approach to service provision during the COvid-19 pandemic and the way in which the principles of this will be put into practice.
With the heightened awareness, anxiety and risk of contact and droplet spread between members of the public and practitioner/client contact I will be putting into practice procedures to help mitigate cross infection within my practice. These procedures will address known and unknown risks with varying levels of evidence and value to help provide a safer environment for all.
The following step will mitigate known symptomatic risk of spreading Covid-19.
1) Under no circumstances will The Movement Clinic allow members of the public into either the clinic/treatment room or surrounding area, nor any room in which Pilates is instructed with cold and flu like symptoms that have not been tested for covid-19.
2) Patients/clients with covid-19 will not be treated/taught and will be asked to stay at home in line with isolation and quarantine guidelines.
3) In some cases clients who display cold and flu like symptoms and who have tested negative for covid-19 may be treated/can come to class.. This will then be down to the mutual discretion and consent of both the client and practitioner.
The following procedures will help limit unknown risk and theoretical risk of contact and droplet spread from asymptomatic viral shedding members of the public, staff and practitioners. These procedures are a guideline. Individuals can take further measures should they require or request them. All adults are responsible for their own safety and should be allowed to take the measures they feel comfortable with.
Pre appointment email screening for Soft Tissue Treatments
All clients will be required to be screened via email the day before their appointment, to check for any known risks, and also to deem if a phone consult and advice could replace a face to face consultation and treatment. If a client would like a virtual consultation a zoom call can be arranged.
If a virtual consultation does not meet the needs of the client, below are the details of how I will pre-screen clients (and chaperone if necessary) before they arrive in the clinic.
These are examples but not limited to the below:
Screening for any symptoms of COVID 19 (e.g. high temperature or a new, persistent cough) in the last 7 days?
Screening for extremely clinically vulnerable patients. If you are in this group you will be asked to book into the first appointment of the day.
Screening for additional respiratory symptoms or conditions e.g. hay fever, asthmas etc
Screen to see if a member of their household had/has symptoms of COVID-19 or are in a high-risk category i.e. shielded as considered extremely clinically vulnerable?
Have they been in contact with someone with suspected/confirmed COVID-19 in last 14 days?
Below are the details of the other information I will provide via the pre-screening email.
Inform of the risk of face to face consultation – I will document that I have informed the patient of risk associated with attending the clinic, and that they are not experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.
Options for telephone consultation.
Finally I will ask you to ideally use private transport to come to the clinic and then to remain in your car until I am ready for you to come in, and wash hands on arrival, and remain at a safe distance where ever possible.
All triage pre-screening information WILL be documented in the patient notes.
Distancing
Clients in the practice will be encouraged to maintain distancing measures. I hope to have explained to clients to remain in their cars until I signal for them to come into the clinic wherever possible to avoid any unnecessary contact. I will be limiting the number of patients in the practice. I will allow 30mins in between clients to ensure they remain at a safe distance apart from one another. Spacing patients’ appointment times out will give me time to sanitizer to best of my ability the clinic. I will have to ask to take your history/symptom report from a safe distance where possible.
Practice Hygiene
Additional cleaning measures will be taken, including frequent cleaning of contact surfaces such as the following but not limited to; door handles, toilets, card machines and chairs. Hand washing and sanitising will be encouraged on entry to the practice. Hand sanitiser will be available at the door and washing facilities will be available in toilets.
Treatment Room Hygiene
All contact surfaces will be cleaned frequently. Plinth covers have been removed. Pillow covers have been removed and replaced with disposable covers. Plinths and pillows will be sanitized in between each patient. Hand washing and hand sanitation will be available in the treatment room. I would ask that you bring your own towels.
I will be leaving the window open of both the waiting room and treatment room for 15 minutes after each patient having staggered the sessions. Where weather permits I will leave them open for longer.
Payment
To help reduce contact via card machines, contactless payment is encouraged via a bank transfer or PayPal. Cash payments will not be encouraged. If card machine use is required, this will be sanitised before and after use.
PPE in the clinic
I will be wearing a face shield and will ask you to wear a mask entering the clinic. Please sanitise your hands immediately on arrival, as will I.
During face down treatments you may remove your mask but I will ask you to wear it during treatment when you are face up, I will change my shield to a mask during face up treatment. I will have disposable gloves available if requested to wear them.
If at any time either party is not comfortable with the level of PPE then treatment can be ceased.
I will not conduct procedures that involve direct handling of bodily fluids such as blood and saliva. PPE used at the practice is therefore not clinical waste but will be disposed of in the appropriate way. I will ensure I change my PPE after every patient session and then double-plastic bag it and leave it for 72 hours before removal, keeping it away from other household/garden waste, and then this can be placed in our normal waste for collection by our local authority
This is a working document. I reserves the right to adapt this policy accordingly.
Pilates
1. One way system. Please enter Great Bedwyn Village hall by the fire exit located at the side of the building via the playing fields and leave by the front entrance. This will be sign posted. The fire door will be opened 5mins before class, at the end of class please leave immediately. You are kindly asked to refrain from gathering in groups before or after class
2. Please wear a mask when entering and leaving the building. It may be removed once you are on your mat and ready to exercise. I will be wearing a mask before and after teaching but NOT while I teach.
3. Please sanitizer your hands on arrival. This will be provided.
4. Please provide your own equipment.
Please provide your own mats (as a guide my mats are 180 x 60 x 10mm thick), head cushions ( a small towel is fine) and weights (which is optional).
5. Mats will be placed 2m apart.
6. I will remain at least 2m from clients I will no long give hands on adjustments
7. Cleaning. All door handles and the floor will be cleaned by myself before and on leaving class, please do not touch other surfaces.
8. Ventilation- Doors/ window will be open when weather allows. Please dress appropriately ( perhaps an extra layer ).
9. Booking and payment. Only come to class if you are booked onto it. I will only be excepting payments via my online booking system, NO CASH Or CHEQUES please!