Prior to the covid pandemic, Rehab Direct staff would visit clients in their own homes to conduct assessments and reviews. There are advantages in us being able to do this in your home but we need to be sure that any advantage is not outweighed by the risks of covid transmission.
Prior to visiting your home, we will contact you to discuss this with you. If you have any reservations, for example, you live with an elderly relative and would prefer an alternative arrangement such as a video call or meeting in another venue, please let us know so that we can make arrangements.
If you are happy for us to visit, we will only send clinicians who have had no contact with anyone with covid symptoms or who have tested positive and we will maintain a minimum of 2m social distance and wear appropriate PPE. We will also ask you for the same re-assurance before a visit takes place.
We might have to arrange for you to be seen in a clinic not under the direct control of Rehab Direct, for example, to have a scan or see a physiotherapist. In these circumstances, we ask you to co-operate fully with the requirements of that clinic in relation to covid risk measures.
If you have any doubts or concerns regarding covid risk in any of our third-party clinics please contact Rehab Direct to discuss further.
This document is intended to ensure that Unity Health Group (the Company) staff understand how to work as safely as is reasonably practicable in the Company’s offices during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company consists of Pure Physiotherapy, Rehabilitation Direct and MLAS.
It follows the UK Government guidelines (the Guidelines) and best practice advice as at the date of this document. We are mindful that guidance will change over time and we will endeavour to maintain this document as the UK Government provides further updates to their guidance on controlling the spread of COVID-19.
The UK Government guidance can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19
The Company fully supports staff to avoid working in its premises by home working but recognises that in certain cases it will be necessary for staff to attend the Company premises to fulfil their responsibilities. Examples of this include training and supervision, staff not having an appropriate home-based workspace, issues of staff wellbeing, dealing with post and deliveries.
The Company is committed to ensuring the safety of all our staff by following measures advised by the Government, this includes carrying out a risk assessment, along with a survey of each office to ensure we continue to provide an environment that is, as far as reasonably practicable, safe and free from harm.
The primary controls to achieve a safe workplace are:
This document contains, details of our safe working practices and our requirements of and expectations of our staff to work to enable us to maintain a safe workplace and safe working practices.
These procedures apply to all employees and visitors to the Company.
Throughout this document, there is repeated reference to particular measures that we have introduced to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to maintain a safe working environment for our staff. The following are basic, general rules that we expect all our staff to follow;
Facemasks are compulsory on all communal areas. The following rules apply to facemasks:
You must take personal responsibility for notifying us about any new health issues that you develop, particularly:
If you show any of these symptoms while at home, you must:
If you show any of these symptoms while at work, you must;
You must follow the government guidance on self-isolation and particularly the guidance on households and vulnerable people.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for- households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection
Ongoing cleaning has taken place whilst the offices have been open, with the aim of reducing the risk of and controlling the spread of COVID-19.
To facilitate effective cleaning every member of staff must:
Subject to availability, each room in occupation will have anti-bacterial wipes or anti-bacterial spray and cloths. These should be used by the person using a desk or table or other work equipment throughout the day and at the end of a working day to wipe down surfaces.
On arrival at the premises, staff must not gather at the entrance. Staff waiting to access must maintain 2m distancing.
Staff must use the hand sanitiser in the reception area immediately after entering and before exiting the building.
Whilst the attendance at our offices of clients is to be avoided where possible, this may not be possible in all circumstances and some meetings may need to take place. Where this is the case, the meetings shall take place in a designated room within the offices and shall be by appointment only. The number of persons attending the meeting will be kept to a minimum and the requirements for social distancing shall apply.
Before attending our offices, clients and visitors will be asked to confirm that they are in good health and have not in the last 14 days suffered with any symptoms which may be related to Covid 19 or been in contact with any other person who has shown such symptoms or been diagnosed as suffering from Covid-19. They will also receive specific guidance on how the appointment will be conducted and the requirements in place upon their entering our offices.
Following each meeting the door handles, chairs and tables used will be cleansed using anti-bacterial wipes or with anti-bacterial spray and cloths provided as above.
Staff and visitors should be aware of the dangers associated with using and storing hand sanitising gel due to the substance being a flammable liquid and vapour. The use of hand sanitising gel may cause eye irritation. Repeated exposure may also cause skin dryness or cracking. If staff or visitors have any allergies to the solution, they must notify their manager and use an alternative. Staff and visitors should avoid breathing in the vapours, if swallowed immediate medical attention should be sought. In the event of eye irritation, eyes should be rinsed cautiously with water for several minutes. Remove contact lenses if present and easy to do so. Continue rinsing if eye irritation persists and get medical attention. Hand sanitising gels should not be inhaled, If inhaled, remove person to fresh air and keep comfortable for breathing, in the event of ingestion or unwell feelings, read the manufacturers advisory labels on bottles provided regarding action to take and or contact 111 for further advice. An adult should supervise children at all times.
Storage: hand sanitising gels should be kept away from hot surfaces, sparks, open flames and other ignition sources, no smoking and used in ventilated areas/stored in a well-ventilated place and should be kept cool. In case of fire, use of foam, carbon dioxide or dry powder to extinguish.
During the COVID-19 period, air conditioning units will not be used. Where possible we encourage staff to open windows to allow a flow of fresh air. As the internal doors in the offices will be open, this will allow an effective flow of air and reduce a build of heat during hot, sunny days.
If you open or close a window, you MUST wipe down the window handle with anti-bacterial wipes or with anti-bacterial spray and cloth immediately afterward.
To minimise the greater spread of any moisture droplets pedestal or desktop fans are only permitted to be used in single-occupancy offices, the user should be responsible for such whilst ensuring safe usage in terms of airflow direction. Do not aim the fan towards room access/exit points, they should be switched off if two or more people are present within the room, regardless of whether social distancing is being observed.
Desk users are expected to wipe down surfaces in their work area regularly throughout the day and at the end of the day.
To provide 2m separation between individuals, wherever possible the desks will be allocated so that they are occupied in diagonal or side-by-side manner.
Staff have a responsibility to ensure their safety and the safety of others within the workplace, they must try not to pass behind others to leave or access their workstation. Where this is not possible staff should give appropriate warning to others who will be affected, thus ensuring social distancing measures are adhered to.
In accordance with the individual office risk assessments attached hereto, desks which are not to be used will be clearly marked. – if it has been identified with a DO NOT USE sign, then don’t use it.
Perspex barriers will be deployed to reduce transmission risk further.
Documents should only be printed when absolutely necessary. If you have to use a printer, you must ensure that there is no-one else at the printer before you go to collect your items. You must also:
Communal areas are the areas in the office that will provide the greatest challenge to us all in maintaining 2m separation. It is vitally important that each member of staff remain vigilant throughout the day to ensure that good hygiene and 2m separation is maintained.
Only 1 person is allowed in each kitchen area at any one time.
Staff should ensure that breaks are staggered and should there be difficulty in making arrangements then break times will be allotted by Heads of Department. Staff must make every effort to bring packed lunches and refillable drinks bottles to reduce the need for using kitchen utensils and work surfaces.
If you get to the kitchen and it is occupied, you must wait away from the area ensuring that the 2m social distancing requirement is complied with. If no area is available to allow this to happen then you must return to your desk until the kitchen becomes available. It is not appropriate to simply wait outside the kitchen as this will severely restrict the ability to maintain 2m separation as people move around the offices.
After using the kitchen area, you must wipe down with anti-bacterial wipes the areas with which you have come into contact including;
If you get to a toilet and it is occupied, you must either wait at a safe distance or wait at your desk until the toilet is free. It is not appropriate to wait outside the toilet area as this will severely restrict the ability to maintain 2m separation as people move around the offices.
The stairs in our offices are not sufficiently wide to allow 2m separation whilst passing on them. The following measures must be adopted when using the stairs:
Visitors to the offices of any kind are to be discouraged during the COVID-19 period and until further notice save as provided elsewhere in this document.
If you are required to hold a meeting with visitors from outside of the office then you should if possible make full use of the IT software that we have available to us. Where attendance is required the steps set out in the client office attendance procedure attached hereto must be followed.
Deliveries must be accepted in the following method:
If you have any concerns regarding wellbeing, speak with your Head of Department. If you have any health & safety problems at work including issues with arrangements for COVID 19 please raise this in the first instance with your Head of Department.
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