The UK Health Security Agency has made three recommendations for healthcare providers across the UK.
- Recommendation 1 is related to social distancing being reduced from two metres to one meter in low-risk areas which most podiatrists will already have implemented
- Recommendation 2 is a change of pre-procedure testing advice prior to elective surgeries which is only likely to affect certain podiatric surgery departments but should assist in allowing easier access for patients
- Recommendation 3 will affect all members. You can now revert to normal cleaning regimes as per pre-pandemic. Remember you must still wear PPE, including face coverings, but can now undertake cleaning as per our standard on infection control
You can read more specifics about these recommendations here: UKHSA review into IPC guidance
Practices within a home
Further advice has been recieved from the NHS Infection Prevention and Control Team about practices in a domestic setting.
If you have a practice within your house and there is no separate patient entrance, meaning that patients have to walk through commununal areas such as halls to reach your practice room, if a member of your household tests positive for COVID-19, the practice will have to close whilst those infected self-isolate.
Government guidance says:
do not have visitors in your home, including friends and family – except for people providing essential care.
Patients in this case will be classed as visitors.
Details of what to do if you need to self isolate are available on the NHS website.