Current Government advice is that the hospitality and beauty industry should remain closed until at least July. However, this advice can change at any time given the unpredictability of the nature of the problem we are faced with. Although there is no need to rush as your safety, ours and the community’s safety comes first, we feel it is wise to start thinking of a new norm now and prepare for ready when the time is right.
As a clinic, we already hold a strict hygiene and infection control policy to ensure that we and our patients are kept safe. We use disposable gloves and aprons, have regular glove changes and sanitize our hands throughout the treatment and performs all treatments using an aseptic technique. We also thoroughly disinfect the full face before any procedure and disinfect the work area after each patient. Also, we have a 1 in 1 out appointment policy and sufficiently long appointments to ensure we give ourselves and our client enough time per treatment. We use technology to minimise paperwork and use electronic consent, consultation and aftercare forms and contactless payments for all our treatments.
However, due to the seriousness of the current pandemic and the high risk of infection, we will introduce additional measures to strengthen our practice when we open. They will involve the following and we thank our patients in advance for their understanding and complying.
What you should expect from our Clinic:
- Intensive cleaning of all contact surfaces with recommended virudicals after each appointment. This will include all surfaces where dust can settle. The clinic will be decluttered and only essential items will be available in the treatment room. This is to reduce surface contamination and allow more effective cleaning. There will be a clean room and a dirty room for this purpose.
- Use of disposable PPE of the highest standard throughout the treatment. Although we do not perform any aerosol-generating procedures, as an extra precaution we will use a visor in addition to disposable mask, apron and gloves.
- Virtual consultation will be encouraged as much as possible to reduce contact time. This will include follow- up appointments as appropriate.
- Risk assessment of all our treatments will be conducted. There may be some treatments that we may have to defer due to their nature. We will give you information about these closer to the time when circumstances are clearer.
- Appointments will be adequately spaced to allow 1 in 1 out policy and time for any particulate dust to settle and to facilitate cleaning.
- Maintain the 2-meter social distancing as much as possible whilst in the treatment room.
What we will expect from our patients:
- Use our hand washing facilities on entering and leaving premises. Additional hand gel use will also be encouraged in between the sessions.
- Use PPE provided such as face mask and apron to minimise any transmission risk.
- Arrange phone or virtual consultation wherever possible.
- Leave any unnecessary belonging in the car or at home.
- Wear minimal jewellery especially finger rings when attending an appointment to allow adequate hand sanitation.
- Cancel your appointment If you are feeling unwell, have and cold or flu-like symptoms or have been in contact with any person suspected or confirmed to have COVID19 in the past 14- days before the appointment.
- Fill in a simple yes/no screening questionnaire, which will be sent out to you before attending the appointment to allow us to risk to assess your current circumstances including health risk factors.
- Attend your appointment unaccompanied and on time and be patient should we be running a little late due to additional cleaning requirements.
- Wear minimal make-up so that we can reduce the time required to take make-up at the time of treatment.
This advice is based on the World Health Organisation and the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners recommendations. We will review this advice regularly in light of any emerging evidence, Government advice and advice from UK professional bodies.
Let us know what you think about our new infection control policy. Ask us any questions or give us your feedback. If you have any further ideas we would love to hear from you!!
View Comments (2)
Excellent preparations from an already extremely thorough and careful clinic. I will have no concerns returning to clinic when it reopens
Thank you Jo for taking the time to read this. The safety of our patients is always a priority. I look forward to welcoming you when it is safe to do so. Please feel free to drop us any questions closer to the time.