Covid-19 Policy

COVID-19 Policy

Updated June 2023

Whilst for many people Covid-19 feels a thing of the past, some people are still clinically vulnerable and people have different views on risk around Covid and long Covid.

The remaining lockdown restrictions in England have been lifted and alongside that, legal requirements around wearing face masks and social distancing are being removed. 

We had over 2 years of pandemic with circumstances often changing quickly, which has been unsettling. It’s ok for people to have different levels of comfort and feelings around risk. I respect individual comfort levels about in person therapy and will continue to offer online therapy via zoom. I am fully vaccinated and not in regular in person contact with anyone clinically vulnerable.  

Precautions for Therapy

• Please bring your own drink if needed and tissues if you don;t wish to use those provided, therapy can sometimes bring up strong emotions unexpectedly.

• Please note the toilet will not be currently available.

• Please arrive no earlier than 5 minutes before your appointment time.

• Do not attend if you have Covid-19 symptoms or have tested positive for Covid-19. Let me know via email.

• Throughout we will maintain maximum distancing that the room allows.

• I will inform you if myself or someone in my household tests positive for Covid-19. I will take a test if I have symptoms or have been a close contact of someone who tests positive.

• Ventilation will be balanced around needs of privacy, I have an antiviral air purifier.

• Hand sanitiser is available in the therapy room or you may bring your own.

• Face masks are useful to reduce risk in many circumstances but are a barrier in therapy. Due to the potential length of time of exposure a session provides, face masks that aren’t hospital grade PPE are unlikely to completely prevent infection. I’d recommend online therapy if you are concerned about not wearing a face mask for in person work.

• Additional time is left between appointments for ventilation.

• I continue to provide online therapy reducing the number of people visiting the room.

• Surfaces are cleaned and disinfected on a regular basis and chair and cushion covering are changed as appropriate.

• Your session may be cancelled at short notice if I test positive or if government guidance changes.

If there is a resurgence of the pandemic or if other health concerns arise I may require that we meet online via zoom.  If you have concerns about meeting online, we will talk about it first and try to address any issues. You understand that, if I believe it is necessary, I may determine that we move to online sessions.

If you decide at any time that you would feel safer or would prefer to move to online therapy, then email me any time up to half an hour before a session and we can move the session to zoom.

Risks of Opting for In-Person Services

You understand that by coming to the office, you are assuming the risk of exposure to Covid-19 (or other viruses).

Agreement for in person therapy

By attending in person therapy you agree to the following:

• We will only keep your in-person appointment if you are symptom-free. 

• You will not attend a session if you have a high temperature or have tested positive for Covid-19. 

• We will adhere to the safer distancing precautions we have set up in the therapy room and there will be no physical contact (e.g. no shaking hands).

• If a resident of your home or mine tests positive for the infection, we will inform each other. 

If you attend an appointment and I believe that you have a fever or if I believe you may have Covid-19, I will have to require you to leave the office immediately. We can follow up online as appropriate.

If I test positive for Covid-19, I will notify you so that you can take appropriate precautions.  If a member of my household tests positive or I am contacted by NHS track and trace then I will inform you. You can then decide if you are comfortable attending in person sessions.

Your Confidentiality in the Case of Infection

If I test positive for Covid-19, I may be required to notify local health authorities or NHS Track and Trace that you have been in the office. If I have to report this, I will only provide the minimum information necessary for their data collection and will not go into any details about the reason for your visit.  By attending in person sessions you are agreeing that I may do so without an additional signed release.

Review Process:

• The above procedure will be reviewed on a regular basis and may change at short notice based on government guidelines. I will continue to keep you updated on any further actions regarding this matter.

• For information on Covid-19 including symptoms, you should always follow the latest NHS advice.

If you have any questions or concerns in relation to the above, please do not hesitate to contact me.