Policy
Social distancing is one of the ways used to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Other ways to reduce the risk of infection include:
- Good hand hygiene
- Cough and sneeze etiquette
- Use of Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Regularly cleaning and disinfection of surfaces that many people touch
- Opening windows or adjusting air conditioning for more ventilation
Social distancing means avoiding close contact and crowded places whenever you can and aiming to keep approximately 1.5 metres distance from those around you in the community, in the workplace and at home. In our practice we only have 2 patients in the waiting room at one time and 1 person in the Doctor’s room with the Doctor during their consultation.
Procedure
NOTE: Any practice team member who is unwell should stay home. The practice follows the testing recommendations for symptomatic staff.
The practice requires all staff to practice social distancing in the workplace by:
- avoiding any kind of social physical contact with patients, staff and others e.g. hugging, shaking hands
- cancelling non-essential in-person meetings e.g. drug rep appointments
- practising social distancing for in-person meetings
- where possible conducting meetings via video conferencing or phone call
- avoiding sharing stationery, e.g. pens, keyboards
- regularly cleaning shared high-touch surfaces, such as desks, workstations, benches and doorknobs
- using alcohol wipes to disinfect items touched by others e.g. pens, credit cards, medicare cards.
- not sharing food in the workplace
- avoiding non-essential stops whilst travelling between home and work
- ensuring that patients follow the social distancing procedures e.g. whilst in the waiting room and outside the clinic waiting.
- patients are advised to call prior to coming into the clinic so we can continue to follow social distancing rules.
- chairs are situated outside for patients to wait.
- where social distancing is not possible, appropriate Personal Protective Equipment is used
Additional social distancing precautions apply:
Your doctors offer Telehealth consultations. Our receptionist will make an appointment time with you and your treating doctor will call you at this time to discuss the medical concern. This consultation will be processed through medicare and there is no out of pocket fee. If the treating doctor requires a face to face appointment they will advise you and a time will be arranged for you.
- Symptomatic patients wanting to attend the practice. Patient will be triaged when making an appointment. They will be asked if they have had any contact with any known positive case of COVID19, if they have any flu like symptoms, sore throat, fever, cough, shortness of breath or diahorrea.
- management of symptomatic patients actually attending the practice. Correct PPE will be given to any symptomatic patient who has entered the clinic. They will be triaged and assessed and isolated in a room away from the waiting room. Patients will be asked to wear a mask, gloves and apron and in some cases glasses.
- We advise all patients to have the flu vaccine, please call the clinic to arrange an appointment with the nurse. For social distancing our nurse will be taking one patient at a time to have the flu vaccine.
- We have hand sanitiser available in the waiting room and we ask all patients to please use it on arrival and departure. If any patient wishes to have a mask please ask reception on arrival to clinic.
- We ask that any patient who has been in contact with a known positive case of COVID-19 or is experiencing shortness of breath, sore throat, cough, fever or diahorrea must contact the clinic to organise a Telehealth Consultation via telephone. Please do not attend the clinic until speaking with your treating doctor.
Resources:
Social distancing guidance (Australian Government Department of Health)