Category: Journal

 Safe Practice Procedures and Protective Measures 

 

We have made some changes to our daily working habits to ensure safe practice and reduce the spread of COVID-19. We want GREY ST. to be as safe as possible for all of your urgent eyecare needs.

 

Environment

 

– We shall maintain a distance of 2 metres unless it is necessary to get closer for clinical reasons.

– We will only allow one client in store at any given time. Each client will be helped by one member of staff. We will instruct clients to stay on the right of our large central table and we will stay on the opposite side. We have re-positioned stools and chairs so it is clear how to navigate the store.  Chairs and stools which are in use are separated by a distance of more than 2 metres.

– We are posting out spectacles and contact lenses where possible to minimize visits to the practice.

– All visits to the practice must be by appointment. If you attend the practice without an appointment you will be asked to return when a time slot is available.

– All magazines and brochures have been removed and unfortunately we will not be able to offer you a drink.

– We will encourage contactless card payments where possible and discourage use of cash. We will follow infection control if cash is used. We will ask you to use your own pen (if you have one) to sign forms.

– We have a cough guard in place on eye testing equipment.

– We have (65% alcohol) hand sanitiser which must be used upon entry and when leaving the practice.

 

Infection control

 

– We disinfect everything that a patient has come into contact with using alcohol wipes. We frequently clean surfaces that are touched by staff. All surfaces are cleaned before they are disinfected. We open doors for patients, to avoid them touching the handle. If a patient touches a door handle, we disinfect it.

– Each staff member will use their own computer and equipment. If equipment needs to be shared, it will be shared by the smallest possible number of people.

– If we need to handle your glasses to repair or measure the lenses we will provide you with a wipe to sanitize your frame before we touch them.

– We use recommended cleaning and disinfecting products. Aprons and disposable gloves used for cleaning will be double bagged and disposed of after 72hours.

– We have tissues and bins available and support good tissue practice ‘catch it, kill it, bin it’

– We encourage staff and patients to practice regular hand hygiene and have hand sanitizer in multiple locations.

– We wear appropriate PPE if we need to see patients at less than 2 metres distance.

 Staff

 

– All staff are appropriately trained in infection control policy and are kept up to date with changes in national public health guidance and government policy.

– All staff are aware of the symptoms of possible COVID-19 and will not attend the practice if they, or any of their household, display these symptoms, as per government advice.

– We have spaced out our eye test equipment over three rooms/areas to help meet social distancing requirements.

– We are minimizing mixing of staff and minimize the number of staff you will see in your visit.

 

Patients

 

– When you make an appointment, and on the day of your appointment, we will ask you if you are well, and that no one in your household is exhibiting relevant symptoms (new, continuous cough; a high temperature and/or loss of or change in taste or smell). If you have these symptoms, or have someone in your household with these symptoms, you should not attend the practice, and should self-isolate (if you have COVID symptoms AND sight or life threatening conditions we will arrange for you to be seen at the hospital).

– We ask you to come to the practice alone, where possible. Companions can wait outside and a child should be accompanied by one parent only.

– Please wear your own face mask if you have one.

– Please sanitise your hands on entering and leaving the practice.

 

Consultations

 

– When you book an appointment, we will ask the reason for your booking and whether you wish to choose new spectacles (so we can allocate an appropriate amount of time for your visit).

– We may ask certain clinical questions over the phone to minimize your time in the consulting room.

– We will use appropriate equipment to reduce contact during the consultation. We recommend OCT examination for all at this time.