In light of the Coronavirus pandemic, I wanted to let you know about the precautions that I and my building management team are taking, and to ask for your help in protecting all of us from this new disease.
The current government advice is mainly based around minimising social contact and practising good hygiene. However, obviously physiotherapy generally requires some form of physical contact, so I’m being as careful as I can.
Social contact
If you are sick, please do not come to your session! The symptoms of Coronavirus are a high temperature, a cough, and breathing difficulties. If you develop any of these symptoms, please self-isolate and then just let us know (email help@nellmead.com or call us on 0207 175 0150). Under these circumstances, you will not be charged for a cancellation – I will be grateful! I do not want to catch it and I certainly don’t want to spread it. Like many of us, I have older relatives with underlying health issues, and they could certainly do without it!
Similarly, if you test positive for the virus within 5 days after a physio session, please let me know, as if you are infected, I will not only need to go home and isolate myself, but will also need to contact all the patients I have seen since your session, to warn them of the risk.
Hygiene
Within my building, the cleaning staff are taking extra precautions to clean high use areas such as WCs, kitchens, push panels, door handles etc; and they are cleaning my room thoroughly each evening. While the reception team are currently still asking all patients and visitors to sign into the building using a tablet, they have assured me that they are cleaning the tablet regularly (“at least every half an hour, and more often during busy times”) and that they have ordered hand sanitiser which will also be available at reception.
When you arrive, the bathrooms are to the right of reception and I would be super grateful if you would pop in there before your sessions to wash your hands. I will of course also have washed mine very thoroughly before touching you! I also have alcohol based hand sanitiser on my desk and am happy for you to use it. I am changing the treatment couch linen regularly and always cover it with single-use paper roll in any case.
If anything changes, I will update you here, and anyone who has signed up to my mailing list will be informed via newsletter; my team and I will of course let you know, immediately and individually, if any issues arise that may affect your treatment session.