Information when attending appointments
Because of Covid-19 there are certain protocols we have to follow which I will list below together with guidelines and information we need you to read. Please take your time to have a look at these as there are certain things we need all patients to do before they can attend the clinic.
It is a bit long-winded but essential in this current climate for everyone’s safety.
Otherwise on a positive note, we are really looking forward to seeing you.
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IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ
Thank you for booking an appointment with us. We are so pleased to be back open but like all businesses we have had to change some of the ways in which we work during the current Covid-19 pandemic. So please take some time to read through the following information as it will help you know what to expect prior to your appointment.
Covid-19 safety precautions and risk
We are doing our absolute best to ensure that we keep our patients and our staff as safe as possible in the current situation. Unfortunately the nature of this virus means that in some cases people can be carrying the virus but have no symptoms or be infectious just prior to developing symptoms, and this is the risk that we cannot fully rule out when we are conducting our face to face consultations.
To reduce the risks as much as possible we have taken guidance from our governing bodies and Public Health England and put into place a strict health and safety policy which includes the following measures:
- We are screening all patients and practitioners for any symptoms prior to their appointments.
- Our Osteopaths will be wearing the appropriate protective equipment for face to face contact (masks, aprons and gloves) and we are providing masks to our patients if they don’t have any of their own.
- Our practitioners and staff have all undertaken training in infection prevention and control and are following strict guidelines to keep our clinic environment as safe as we possibly can.
- We are allowing more time in between each patient to fully clean down and disinfect all surfaces.
- We are restricting the number of people in our clinic to the bare minimum and allowed for social distancing in all of the public areas.
If you are worried and need to discuss the risks further please speak to us. We are happy to go through our safety policy in detail and as you read on you will see that we do also offer a risk free option of a video consultation for anyone who is vulnerable.
We have a new booking system! Please make sure you set up your account.
If you booked online you may have noticed the new booking system. This is a new a secure way of staying in contact with us, you can use it to book or rearrange your appointments and to check in and pay online. Your osteopath can also use it to send you exercises or advice sheets.
If you are advised to have a Telehealth video consultation to reduce your time in clinic, your account will also provide an easy link to connect you to your osteopath when it’s time for your appointment.
If you don’t have access to a computer please do not worry, our reception team are still on hand to book appointments and take payments where necessary.
Risk assessment and appointment type
One of the biggest changes is that we will now need to conduct a risk assessment for each patient who visits us. To do this your osteopath may call you prior to your appointment to ask you a few questions. This will help us to decide on which is the most appropriate and safest form of appointment for you. This may be one of the following:
- Face to face assessment and treatment
- Video Consultation
Which appointment type you will be offered will depend on a variety of factors which we will discuss with you. In some cases we may need to see you in person but may choose to take as much information over the telephone prior to your appointment to reduce the amount of face to face time that you would need to be in the clinic.
Face to Face Assessment Guidance
If you are booked into for a face to face appointment you will receive a Covid-19 questionnaire 8 hours prior to your appointment. Please fill this in as we are unable to see you without this information.
If on the day of your appointment you find that you have begun with any symptoms that might be Covid-19 related call us so that we can swap to video consultation or a later date appointment.
Current government guidelines suggest that everyone wears a face covering whilst they are in shops and indoor public environments, so we are now providing our patients with a face mask for their appointment if they don’t have a suitable one of their own.
Please be assured that your osteopath will be adhering to strict hygiene protocols and will be wearing personal protective equipment for the duration of your appointment.
Because of the current Covid restrictions we are asking that patients come into the clinic alone, however, if you feel you need someone else to come with you please let us know in advance. Under 18’s will continue to need to have a parent/guardian with them.
Car parking and our waiting area
Car-parking is free for the duration of your appointment. Once you have arrived please wait in your vehicle and either call the practice to leave a message and let us know that you have arrived or check in online so that your osteopath knows that you are waiting (see below).
If you are arriving on foot, you may come in and sit in reception, but we kindly ask that you arrive no earlier than 5 minutes prior to your appointment so that we minimise your time in the practice.
Online check in
If you have a smart phone you can Check In Online at
stuartbentleyosteopath.janeapp.co.uk/checkin
Or by scanning the QR code which is on display in our car park window and in our reception.
This will let your osteopath knows that you have arrived and are waiting.
Final screening
On arrival your practitioner will conduct a final screening before treatment which may include checking your temperature with a hand held thermometer and possibly. On entry to the clinic we also ask that you wash or sanitise your hands and wear the provided face mask whilst in the building.
In line with current guidelines if on testing you have a fever or symptoms of a new cough we would advise you on what to do next and would need to reschedule your appointment. So if you are at all unsure speak to us before arriving for your appointment.
Toilet facilities
Our toilet facilities are open for use but we would like to make you aware that this is a public building containing several different businesses, and therefore the toilet facilities are not just used by us so please be aware that social distancing in the corridor area may be required .
Video Consultation Guidance
In some cases your osteopath may feel that it is safer to see if you can be helped via a video consultation rather than a face to face visit.
This is a new way of working and so far we have found that this has been an extremely useful way of getting help and advice for people who are shielding or are in a clinically vulnerable group but still need some face to face assessment and advice.
If your osteopath has recommended that you have a video consultation the most secure way is to use our clinic Telehealth software for the video call.
To use this please just log onto your Stuart Bentley Osteopaths account 5 minutes prior to your allotted appointment time and wait for your osteopath to activate the video call.
IMPORTANT: Our video calling works best from a PC, laptop, or android device.
It will work best if you log on to Stuart Bentley Osteopaths account from a Google chrome or Firefox browser.
If you need to use an Apple device please let us know and we will make an alternative arrangement to call you on a different platform preferably Skype or WhatsApp as they are encrypted.
- Video consultations do require a good mobile/broadband service to ensure the best connection. If we lose connection during the call your osteopath will call you back.
- We suggest that you ensure that you have a quiet and private place to take the call in. A well lit room is also beneficial. Headphones can sometimes be useful in video calling but are not essential. The time needed to complete a consultation can vary but we advise that you allow up to 1 hour for your initial assessment.
- Ensure that you can have your computer / device on a surface where you can be seen and use it hands free so that if necessary you can show your osteopath your range of movement in the affected area.
NB. Some tests cannot be performed via video consultation and if these are needed for the osteopath to successfully diagnose they will inform you and advise you on the next best course of action.
You are welcome to have a friend or relative with you during this consultation/treatment if you wish. If you are under 18 we do require a parent/guardian to be with you.
All patients are currently receiving a Covid-19 pre-assessment questionnaire 8 hours prior to their scheduled appointment time. This is a compulsory safety precaution and is automatically sent out. We appreciate that it is actually much less relevant if you are booked in for a video consultation but if you can take the time to fill in any symptoms it will still help in our assessment of your current condition and enable us to give you the best advice we can.
Payment
Payment can currently be made by 3 methods;
- Pay upfront before attending your appointment using our secure clinic booking system.
- An online invoice – we will email you with a secure link for you to make payment. We kindly ask that this payment be made within 24 hours of issue. This will be the only method of payment if you have had a video consultation.
- Alternatively we can accept some contactless card payments by certain mobile phones in the practice if you have been in for a face to face appointment. Unfortunately we are unable to accept payment by cheque or cash at this time.
Thank you for your understanding and patience with all these changes to our usual practices. We are doing our absolute best to ensure that we keep our patients and our staff as safe as possible.
We look forward to seeing you soon!