Appointments During Coronavirus
In line with the considerations outlined in our ‘Practice Preparation and Action Plan’ and with accepted risk reduction methodology it is important to bear in mind that when planning your patient journey the key priority is to minimise the likelihood of transmission by introducing reasonable control measures along the route.
The patient journey outlined below may be adapted as the pandemic progresses.
- Patient contacts practice/is contacted by practice
- Patient is pre-screened for COVID-19 status using questionnaire and given advice if needed regarding isolation
- Practice identifies if patient is vulnerable/shielded
- Patient is categorised and triaged using questionnaire and acceptance criteria (to be informed by national guidance and/or relevant NHS SOPs)
- Patient details are confirmed (e.g. email address)
- Appointment is booked or clinical triage arranged
- Clinical triage takes place (if required) and appointment is then booked
- Patient is asked for payment over the phone and digital documentation to complete prior to attending or emailed pre appointment pack (e.g. Medical History, Formsetc.)
- Patient is called 24 hours before appointment and is screened for COVID-19 status, attendance procedure is explained (recommendation to use toilet before attending, how they will be summoned into the practice, hand hygiene at entrance etc.)
- Chaperoning and consent procedures are explained, and appointment is then confirmed
- Patient attends practice and attendance procedure is followed including screening upon arrival
- Patient leaves the practice and is emailed a treatment plan, estimate etc.
- Reception team to follow up on estimates and make appointment bookings
When you attend the practice please bring minimal belongings. You should attend alone unless absolutely necessary.
We are operating a ‘closed door’ policy and a contactless reception. When you arrive please do not come in, call us on you mobile phone to let us know you are here. You will be called back when we are ready for you giving reception time to unlock the door without coming into contact with you, do not come in until you are confident the receptionist is seated behind the desk.
On entry please come in and go to the designated area in the waiting room marked by the black and yellow tape. Do not sit down. Place your belongings in the box provided and sanitise your hands with the gel provided. The receptionist will then direct you to the appropriate surgery.
Once in the surgery you will be directed to sit in the dental chair at which point things will proceed more normally!
At the end of your appointment you will leave the surgery, use the hand sanitiser again and collect your belongings. We will call you later to make any follow up appointments rather than making them upon exit. This is because Claire cannot type her notes and write her treatment plan immediately since she has a more complex procedure to doff her PPE and clean down, before changing surgeries to type her notes and we want to minimise your time in the practice.
Please understand that we absolutely will not book you straight in for a treatment appointment. There are some procedures that we can do currently and some that we cannot complete until the next phase of reintroduction of dentistry. We cannot pop in and out of the cupboards for different items according to what we find, this HAS to be planned in advance to keep to our newly heightened measures. Please bear with us.