Covid - 19 policies & procedures
01/08/2020
All of us have been affected by the coronavirus
(COVID-19) pandemic. It has been a strange few months, but I am so pleased to
finally be able to re-open and welcome you back. Things will be very different,
so please bear with me as I get used to a new way of working and practicing.
I have missed being able to offer you the treatments that
I know you love, and I am really looking forward to seeing you again. I kindly
ask that you read this document so you know what to expect for your next
treatment.
My priority is to keep you as safe as possible, and prior
to re-opening I have implemented a number of changes which I
would like to make you aware of. During the time my business has been closed, I
have completed the following courses specifically aimed at Coronavirus control;
·
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Prevention and
Control course (accredited by the Guild of Professional Beauty Therapists Ltd,
the UK trade body for our industry).
·
Barbicide certification in Sanitation and
Disinfection practices.
·
Barbicide COVID-19 certification for the
Professional Beauty Industry.
·
Think Tree Education – Preparing to return to
work in a Covid-19 world
·
Think Tree Education – Risk Assessment checklist
for returning to work in a Covid-19 environment
·
Control of cross-infection in a post-Covid-19
world (accredited by Think Tree Education and The Federation of Holistic
Therapists
I have thoroughly cleaned and disinfected the shed,
laundered everything that was in there prior to me closing, and swapped a few
things that can easily be cleaned/disinfected in between clients.
I have also made a number of changes to the way that I
operate which you will notice when you next visit.
Our Health
I will be monitoring my temperature and overall health
daily to ensure I am safe to treat you.
If I feel ill or have symptoms of COVID-19, I will self-isolate
immediately and cancel all appointments as necessary that are within the
isolation period. This may mean that I have to cancel your appointment at short
notice. I appreciate that this may be inconvenient, and I apologise if this is
the case, but it is done entirely for your own safety. If your appointment is
cancelled you will be able to re-book again when I am back at work safely after
I have completed the required isolation period.
If you, any of the people you live with, or someone you
have recently come in to contact with begins to feel ill or displays any
symptoms of COVID-19 – please contact me as soon as possible to CANCELYOUR APPOINTMENT. I have amended my cancellation policy to allow
for such circumstances and the cancellation fee will not apply.
For your information, the most common symptoms of
COVID-19 are;
·
High temperature (over 37°C)
·
A new or contagious dry cough
·
Shortness of breath
·
Fatigue
·
A new or unexplained rash
·
Loss of sense of smell or taste, or changes to
your normal sense of smell/taste
·
Muscular aches and pains (aside the usual you
may be feeling without your regular massage appointment)
·
Headache
·
Sore Throat
·
No symptoms at all (60% of cases)
Prior to your
appointment
I will be sending out a specific consultation related to
COVID-19 (via email) prior to your appointment that you will be required to
complete using Google forms. This is to reduce our face-to-face time during
your appointment, to ensure I am aware of any changes to your health since I
saw you last, and to establish if I think I can treat you safely. If you would
prefer to complete the consultation over the phone, please get in touch to
arrange a time to do so.
Please note; I am required to keep a temporary record of
clients for NHS Test and Trace purposes, which may mean I need to share your
information if required.
Your appointment
time
For your safety and to maintain social distancing, I ask
that you attend your appointment as close to the agreed time as possible.
Please do not turn up early for appointments as this may mean that you come
into contact with other clients who are just leaving, or I may still be
cleaning and disinfecting the shed. As you will know I do not have a waiting
area, so if you are early please wait in your car until your appointment time,
unless you hear otherwise from me. As always, if you are running late please
let me know as this may impact other appointments I have booked in after yours,
and I may need to reschedule your appointment.
Online Booking
Unfortunately, for the time being I will not be opening
up the online booking slots as I need to monitor and control what appointments
are booked in, and my timings between each appointment. I apologise for any
inconvenience caused by this.
Cleaning
I have increased the frequency of cleaning throughout the
day including making sure that common surfaces are wiped clean using
disinfectant products between each client. You will also notice that I have a
box for your shoes to go in and another for your belongings to go in, and this
will be disinfected after every client. I ask that you don’t bring in any more
personal belongings than necessary. I also ask that you don’t touch personal
belongings, such as phones, throughout your treatment.
All tools and equipment will be disinfected or sterilised
in line with the specific manufacturers’ instructions for your safety.
Wherever possible I will utilise environmentally-friendly
items during a treatment, but there will be times that I sadly need to use
single use materials due to hygiene and risk of cross-infection. All single
use/disposable items will be disposed of safely after use in order to protect
you from cross-infection. If you are having a manicure/pedicure, you will have
your own nail file that I will keep in a labelled sandwich bag and sealed box, only
to use on you.
I can confirm that the laundering of towels, sheets and
my uniforms are a priority, and I can assure you that all laundry is washed at
60°C. All laundry will be put
into the laundry basket after use and removed at the end of each day.
Temperature
I will be taking your temperature with a non-contact
thermometer before you enter the shed. This is to ensure you are safe to treat.
Note: Anything above 37°C
is considered a high temperature.
Hand washing &
sanitising
I understand the importance of hand hygiene and I will
ensure that I wash my hands in according with NHS recommendations before the
start of your treatment, during (if necessary), and again at the end.
You will kindly be asked to wash your hands prior to your
treatment, and I will also have touch-free hand sanitising spray available for
you to use as well if you wish. You are welcome to wash your hands or sanitise again
before leaving, please just ask.
PPE
I will be wearing a face mask/covering, a visor, an
apron, and nitrile gloves for your treatment, and I ask that you also wear a
face mask/covering for your appointment as it is now mandatory for you to do so.
I have disposable face masks and gloves available, should you need either, but if
you have your own face mask/covering then please wear it to your appointment,
and for the duration of your appointment. Please
ensure you wear a clean/fresh face mask if you are wearing your own. Gloves
aren’t mandatory for you, but they are an option if you wish to wear them.
I will replace my face mask/covering and gloves after
each client, and replace with clean/new ones. I will wipe my visor clean with
disinfectant between each client. The apron I will be wearing is to protect my
uniform, which will also be cleaned with disinfectant after each client.
Ventilation
I will have the windows open at all times throughout the
day to ensure there is fresh air flowing through, and whenever possible I will
also have the door open (unless the weather doesn’t allow for this of course).
Number of people
Sadly, I can only have one person in the shed with me at
one time, so this means you won’t be able to bring your little ones until
further notice.
If you usually bring someone (who doesn’t drive), to
their appointment I ask that you wait in the car for the duration of the
appointment. Please contact me if you have any issues about this.
Toilet
As the toilet is in the home of my Mum and Step-Dad this
will be out of bounds for the time being.
Please ensure you go to the toilet prior to your appointment
for your own comfort. This measure is being taken for your safety as I cannot
ensure that all common surfaces and the toilet itself will have been appropriately
disinfected at all times. If you are desperate, I will allow you to use the
toilet of course, but I will need to ensure everything is disinfected just
beforehand.
Treatments
I have carried out a risk assessment on all treatments
and I am confident that I can provide the following treatments safely (along
with following the government guidelines);
·
Waxing (excluding
facial waxing – brows and lip/chin)
·
Manicures
& Pedicures
·
Massage
(limited to 30 minutes MAX) – Following government guidelines, all close
contact is advised to be limited as the risk of transmission increases the longer
you are exposed.
The following treatments CANNOT be provided until further notice;
·
Massage
(Anything over 30 minutes) – Following the government guidelines on close
contact being kept to a minimum.
·
Facials
(or facial massage of any kind) – Following government guidelines; due to the
close proximity of contact face-to-face, as well as the increased risk of
working around your eyes, nose and mouth.
·
Facial
waxing – Following the government guidelines, waxing on the face is not yet
permitted. (Includes eyebrows, lip and chin).
·
Indian
Head Massage – Due to the area covered during an Indian Head Massage, I am
afraid I cannot safely provide this treatment currently.
·
Eyelash
and eyebrow treatment – Again, due to government guidelines, any treatments
on the face are permitted, which obviously includes lashes and brows.
I will, of course, be reviewing the guidelines as time
goes on and will inform you when it is considered safe to resume the above
treatments.
During your
treatment
I will try to make your treatment as safe, comfortable
and enjoyable as possible. If you have any concerns about your treatment(s)
please let me know and I will do what I can to work with you. I appreciate the
environment may not be as relaxing as usual as things will be a little more
clinical, but please know that I will do my very best to ensure you get the
most out of your treatment at this strange time!
Social distancing
As I am sure you will appreciate it is very difficult, if
not near impossible, to socially distance while carrying out my job. I will
obviously be doing everything I can (as mentioned) to make it as safe an
environment as possible for both of us, but please keep in mind we should still
be distancing where possible.
Payment
In order to avoid handling of cash, I would prefer if you
could pay for your treatment by card or in advance by bank transfer. I will
happily send you my bank details if you wish to pay by bank transfer, and you
do not already have my details. If you really wish to pay by cash, please
present the correct money in a sealed envelope or sandwich bag to avoid the
handling any money. I will, of course, wash my hands straight after handling of
any money. My phone and card machine will also be cleaned after each use.
Refreshments/Water
If you wish to have some water or a drink after your
treatment, please bring your own bottle/flask. I do have some disposable,
biodegradable water cups, but if you could bring your own that would be great
as it will save waste.
Loyalty Cards
& Gift Vouchers
Unfortunately for the time being I will not be accepting
loyalty cards to prevent risk of cross-infection.
If you have a gift voucher please state the number on the
voucher when you book and I will mark it off and then you can discard of your
voucher. All future gift vouchers will be emailed to avoid cross-infection.
Chit Chat
This is my least favourite policy. As you know I love to
chat and after 4 months of not seeing a lot of you there will be a lot to catch
up on. However, if possible talking needs to be kept to a minimum, to avoid increased
risk of transmission.
All of these procedures have been implemented for your
safety and mine. I will continue to take advice and guidance from the
Government, the NHS and my professional governing bodies regarding safe
practice and will amend procedures as necessary. Please get in touch if you
would like to discuss anything I have mentioned.
Thank you for your understanding, and for your continued
support.
Vanessa/Ness
Vanessa Withey Beauty & Holistic Therapist
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