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In order to operate under the COVID-19 Protection Framework, PHASE 3 – we ask that you:
In short – this level of protection is to minimise the risk of infection to the vulnerable and/or reduce isolation or clinical closure.
You’ll have learned that the virus is very hard to detect when asymptomatic, making this virus easy to spread. The requirement of you wearing a surgical mask during your treatment is again to reduce risk – just in case unknowingly, COVID snuck in.
Our personal protective equipment (PPE) involves both N95/P2 masks and eyewear protection. This provides the highest level of protection we can possibly provide and this means our team is at very low risk to you, and you are very low risk to us, especially when we are both in close contact for more than 15 mins.
If you have a medical or disability exemption, please contact us in advance to discuss this.
All patients will be required to wear masks at all times when in the clinic. Under Stage 3 the Omnicom variant is more transmissible, so wearing surgical, N95/P2 masks is a way we can protect ourselves and each other.
Exemption cards are not mandatory but do make it easier whenever you need to explain that face covering is unsuitable for you. It is reasonable for Top Notch to check for what type of exemption you have – medical or disability. Please know that we will not be enquiring into what it is for i.e. the nature of your disability or condition.
We do have patients who struggle to breathe, or are claustrophobic and of course will make alternative arrangements for these people.
The nature of our business at Top Notch is that we spend more than 15 mins in a small room with you. It is close contact whilst providing hands-on treatment. This environment is high-risk with regards to exposure to our team and you.
To protect you and us, and to avoid being stood down for two weeks, this Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) policy follows the Ministry of Health Risk Assessment for all Healthcare services.
Your health matters just as much as ours.
In addition to our PPE (under “Why do we have to wear surgical masks?” above), we are also in compliance with the healthcare vaccination mandate, which anyone must be if they are providing close contact healthcare services from 16th of November 2021.
Online clinic appointments – we are offering evidence based video or phone calls with an osteopath if you are still unable to come in. Where we can interview, examine, diagnose and educate to provide home based rehabilitation, as well as fitness programmes for your needs.
Distancing – our therapists and admin practice physical distancing.
Hand hygiene – we continue to practice excellent hand hygiene.
Cleaning measures – we continue to thoroughly clean our clinic and consultation rooms between appointments and throughout the day. Treatment tables are wiped down with hospital grade sanitiser between each client, as well as all high touch surfaces and where your personal belongings have been.
Sickness – as usual, the team will not be coming to work if we are unwell.
Waiting room – for now, we have removed magazines and other information from the waiting areas to reduce handling.
Declaration – we have included a declaration to be completed when you book online. We ask that new and returning clients answer to complete these for us to assess potential risks to our other clients and staff.
Team leave – we are supporting our team with leave if they have been impacted with self-isolation requirements
Elderly – we will be calling all elderly clients to ensure they have everything they need.
As you can appreciate, we are not here to be substandard in the way we operate, especially if cases increase.
In order to work in accordance with the legislated requirements under the COVID-19 protection framework, our massage therapy is different from a single practitioner business that has a stand-alone clinic. For massage therapy operating within premises which are shared by health professionals (who are under the HPCA Act) you do not need to show your vaccination pass under the Ministry of Health.
For those who do not wish to see us, due to this reason, we have procedures in place to keep you safe and have continued with our exceptional health and safety risk management as per previous Alert levels for our vulnerable and those who are unable to be vaccinated.
You will be refused treatment if you are symptomatic and will need to pay the full fee for not postponing your appointment.
All of our team is fully compliant with the COVID-19 Vaccination Order.
Common symptoms associated with COVID 19 infection are
Less common symptoms include diarrhoea headaches, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, malaise, chest pain, abdominal pain, joint pain and confusion or irritability. They are almost always associated with one or more of the common symptoms
The Ministry of Health have determined that during levels 3 and 4, patients can still have access to osteopathy via something called ‘Telehealth’ – the provision of healthcare, education and consultation through remote communication such as telephone, text and video calling.
Osteopaths actually get about 80% of the information we use to formulate a diagnosis about your problem from the questions we ask you during the consultation.
We then gain another 10% from observing you move and do ‘special tests’ which can incriminate one body tissue over another, and the remaining 10% from touching the sore spots to see what they feel like – this really is more of a confirmation process.
For this reason, Telehealth can still be an excellent option to get a diagnosis, (safety and information permitting) and make a plan to move forward or keep your symptoms at bay until we can provide hands ‘on’ treatment again.