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I would like to draw your attention to a directive that was sent to all Osteopaths from the Institute of Osteopathy dated 24 March 2020, see below. Please read it through.
We all find ourselves in unchartered and challenging territory which changes daily. I have decided, as a result of the guidance from the Institute of Osteopathy, to keep the Clinic open at reduced times, for those who need us, for the reasons given below. We will of course uphold the strictest and most stringent levels of hygiene and sanitation for everyone visiting the clinic. I have outlined our Health and Safety measures below.
I will assess this situation daily if there is any reason at all that I think the Clinic should close I will close it immediately. I would never put the health and safety of my patients and staff at risk.
If you would like to call me and talk about doing some exercises or stretches to help continue your progress until we can resume treatment, call me on my mobile, 07887 804165
Very best wishes to everyone, stay well and stay safe.
Jeremy

A summary as follows:

COVID-19 message from the iO President

24 March 2020

The Prime Minister’s bulletin yesterday evening declared “a moment of national emergency” and said that “the way ahead is hard”.

The entire UK osteopathic profession has been agonising about what we should be doing – closing our practices and denying our patients' osteopathic care or continuing to play a significant role in the healthcare of our country. As the crisis deepens, our choices are starker, but we are now able to offer more definite guidance, based on what other health professionals are telling us.

The role which osteopaths are able to play in the Coronavirus pandemic is becoming clearer. As we have already said, there has been a great deal of communication within the UK and European osteopathic profession, with related healthcare professions like physiotherapy, and with NHS England, Public Health England and Health Education England.

For those osteopaths who are willing and well, remaining available to treat acute or urgent patients will help to reduce the burden on the NHS, GP practices and MSK services.

A number of GP practices and physio departments have closed so that the health workers can be deployed to treat more urgent cases or substitute where staff have fallen ill. This means that there is a big gap in the health system which we, as registered osteopaths and allied health professionals, are well qualified to fill.

Today, Maurice Cheng (Chief Executive) has spoken to a number of health professionals and commissioners within the NHS who make it clear that, at this moment, it is inappropriate to declare Osteopathy closed because “they need us to stay open” and we osteopaths provide a very useful public service. We are able to reduce the pressure on acute medical services and hospital beds.

We also understand that the children of osteopaths are eligible to go to school as osteopaths count as essential health workers. We know of particular schools where this is the case.

We recommend that if a patient is able to delay their treatment because it is not urgent or essential, then it would be better to avoid the risk of contact. Only urgent or necessary treatments should be given. This includes patients with chronic conditions, for example, severe scoliosis, where stopping treatment will lead tomore intractable health problems.

Attention to infection control, triaging ahead of any engagement, and defining what is urgent and what is not, is a combination of patient choice and professional judgement. This is what other healthcare professions also working in private practice are doing. We are liaising closely with Physio First, the private branch of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists to ensure our advice to healthcare professionals in the private sector is consistent and puts safety first

The current crisis requires that all possible sources of help are mobilised. It is also necessary that the risk to health workers (that means us) is minimised. Osteopaths who work in the NHS have clearly expressed the opinion that “we need osteopaths in the NHS”. With the currently strained workforce, this has never been more true.

We will continue to engage with the health and public health bodies to see how the osteopathic profession can help as part of the national crisis management plan, as I know many of you want to support our NHS services in this challenging time.

Susan Farwell
President
www.iosteopathy.org

Useful Links

Public Health England Health advice

Public Health England advice for Healthcare Professionals

Travel advice

The Drive Osteopaths – Coronovirus Update Information
With the concerns regarding Covid-19 dominating all our lives at the moment, I would like to give you reassurances of how we are working hard to protect the health of our patients, staff and visitors at The Drive Osteopaths and outline the procedures we are implementing to achieve this.
The health and safety of our patients, staff and visitors at The Drive Osteopaths is our priority. In light of the developing situation surrounding Coronavirus (COVID-19), we have been closely monitoring updates from the World Health Organization, UK Government guidelines and our own governing body the GOSC and implementing all recommendations accordingly.
We are very much aware of the growing concerns around the virus and the important role that both our team and patients have in keeping our clinic safe, in order for us to continue to treat patients without delays. The added stress and anxiety which we are all experiencing over this situation may add to back or joint pain, and we will endeavour to remain open to help keep you well. Our team will be vigilant in implementing all the procedures necessary to keep the Clinic a safe place to visit.

According to current COVID-19 information and advice, The Drive Osteopaths are taking the following measures to protect all those visiting the clinic:

Providing all visitors access to alcohol-based hand sanitizer upon entry and exit
Increasing the frequency and thoroughness of cleaning around the building
Reminding all visitors of the importance of personal hygiene and best practices, such as regular handwashing and not touching your face.
Our reception staff are vigorously sanitizing all areas constantly throughout the day.
All staff are to sanitize/wash their hands before and after each patient interaction.
Treatment tables will be sanitized before and after each patient treatment.

What we ask of you:
By working together, we can control the spreading of the virus within the clinic. All patients are encouraged to:

Kindly not come into the Clinic if you have any flu like symptoms such as a persistent cough, shortness of breath, high temperature and/or fever
Kindly not come to the Clinic if you have returned from a region of the world exposed to Covid-19 in the last 14 days
Kindly not come to the Clinic if you have been in contact with anyone who has tested positive for Covid-19
Wherever possible please try and avoid bringing along visitors / family members to your appointment, unless necessary, in order to reduce the volume of visitors entering the clinic
Keep your hands clean, wash regularly and thoroughly for at least 20 seconds with soap and water
Always carry tissues with you and use them to catch all coughs and sneezes, bin the tissue and then wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer to eliminate germs

If you feel it would be best for you not to attend the Clinic, please call us and we will re-schedule your appointment 01273 203820 or 07887 804165 STAY IN TOUCH

Sending you all very best wishes
Jeremy Buck
Registered Osteopath

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