On the 5th July 2022 our professional bodies HCPC, RCCP and AHCS updated their Audiology and Otology guidance document for COVID 19.
This update is to let our clients of the changes which will take effect in the clinic from Monday 1st August 2022.
We recognise that our COVID 19 policies might have been considered ‘out of date’ but the risk of transmission has always been a greater risk because of the closeness needed to perform audiology procedures. We have been pushing for this update for some time and we are pleased to announce the policy aligns more with the current risk in the community.
Unfortunately, we cannot remove the need for masks completely but the time they need to be worn will be reduced. Masks will only need to be worn at the point of close contact work – otoscopy, impression taking and inserting plugs for hearing tests. Here’s how our COVID procedures will look going forward.
The door will be open, please come straight into the clinic and register your arrival with the reception team, enter your car registration number (if you have parked in our carpark) and we will let the clinician know you have arrived for your appointment.
The clinician will collect you from the waiting area and take you through to their clinic room. If and when during the appointment they need to come close to begin a procedure they will don a Type IIR surgical mask and provide you, the client, with a mask for the period of the procedure. This is the only time we will require a client to wear a mask.
We do recognise that some people would still prefer to wear a mask and in these circumstances the clinician will reciprocate by donning a mask.
We will remove the requirement for the COVID 19 screening form but remind clients that if there is a concern of COVID symptoms, either for yourself or a member of your household, not to attend the clinic and we will rearrange an appointment.
We thank you so much for your patience and understanding for supporting our procedures and hope that you will continue to do so as we move into this new phase of requirements.
