How is Essential Care Physiotherapy keeping its staff, clients and patients safe?
Essential Care Physiotherapy's first priority is the health of our staff and our patients. We acknowledge growing community concerns around hygiene and social distancing. Please rest assured that protocols are in place across all the Essential Care Physiotherapy services (on-premises and in-home) to ensure compliance with all health directives, especially social distancing, as well as enhanced cleaning and sanitation procedures for our premises and therapy equipment.
What steps are being taken to ensure that I am kept safe when I visit Essential Care Physiotherapy premises for my treatment?
The health of clients, patients and staff is our priority. Here at Essential Care Physiotherapy, we have adopted a multi-faceted approach to keep our clients, patients and staff safe during the COVID Pandemic. This multi-faceted approach involves communication, raising awareness, implementing social distancing and implementing rigorous hygiene protocols.
Communication
We send all our patients and clients with an email and a text message reminding them of their appointments. An email is generally sent a day before the appointment and the text message is sent in the morning of the appointment day.
A safety health reminder to sit in your car until called by the Physiotherapist is sent as a text message to all patients prior to their appointment.
Essential Care Physiotherapy is registered with NSW Health as a COVID Safe Physiotherapy Practice. We have a COVID Safe business plan which is approved and registered with the relevant authorities.
Patients are advised to reconsider/delay the treatment if they have flu like symptoms or have travelled to internationally known hot spots in recent weeks.
Awareness
Our website provides links to important health resources and various government agencies managing the current pandemic.
Information about social distancing and hygiene is available with our Physiotherapists and is displayed within our premises.
The management here at Essential Care Physiotherapy has discussed a plan of action and has registered its COVID Safe Plan with NSW Health. Our physiotherapist has a good understanding of infection control principles, is aware of the signs of the coronavirus and is vigilant.
Social Distancing
Due to the nature of our service, it is not always practical to maintain 1.5m distance while providing hands-on treatment. However, we ensure that there is only 1 patient at all times in the practice during treatment. We ensure this is possible by asking patients and carers to wait in their cars until the physiotherapist calls them on the phone. Only after the physiotherapist calls the patient (or the carer), are to enter the premises. There is no waiting or standing in the reception area.
Hygiene Protocol
Washrooms are appropriately stocked within the premises with soap and disposable paper hand towels.
Alcohol based hand sanitiser is available for all patients and their carer/guardians.
The physiotherapist ensures that all areas and equipment of the practice room is thoroughly sanitised between each treatment. When cleaning in-between patients, gloves are worn and alcohol-based hand sanitiser is used before and after wearing gloves.
Your physiotherapist will be wearing safety mask and gloves at all times during your treatment.
All patients, clients, carers and guardians are highly recommended to wear masks while on premises.
The air-conditioner is set to take fresh air rather than circulate the air within the practice room.
Important Resources
Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare
Clinical Guidance
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/communities-of-practice/Pages/clinical-guidance-and-resources.aspx
NSW Health
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/default.aspx
Information on Face Masks
https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/face-masks
Australian Physiotherapy Association
https://australian.physio
World Health Organisation
https://www.who.int
