A new patient journey
Before your appointment:
To ensure that you have all the information easily to hand, we will send you all the key information before your appointment – including who you will be seeing, what treatment you will be having, the cost of your treatment and , what to do when you arrive. It is possible that we may ask you to complete and return a medical history form that will be sent and completed digitally, so please do not print this out and bring with you.
On the day of your appointment:
Before you depart for the practice, we ask that where possible, you have already visited the lavatory, have ensured that you are hydrated and already brushed your teeth It is important that you do not bring a large number of things into the practice with you, so please ensure you only bring necessary items with you.
When you arrive, the doors will be locked, so please call to let our team know you have arrived and either stay in your car or outside of the practice (whilst maintaining good social distancing protocol) if you have arrived on foot. To minimise risk, please ensure you attend your appointment alone unless you require assistance or are supporting a child or someone vulnerable. We are encouraging card payments only so where possible, please do not arrive with cash.
Entering the practice:
When it is time for your appointment, one of our team will call you to notify you to approach the practice. Please let us know if you do not have a mobile phone beforehand and we will make alternative arrangements. Before entering the practice, one of our trained colleagues will take your temperature to ensure you do not have a fever and invite you in if your temperature is safely below 37.5 degrees centigrade. Unfortunately, if you are above 37.5 degrees, we will have to rearrange your appointment for the safety of all those in practice.
Once you have been invited into the practice, you will be asked to sanitise your hands and correctly place a facemask on, which you will be shown how to do. We will require payment before your appointment (if appropriate), ideally by card, using our freshly disinfected card machines to ensure you can have a swift departure once your treatment has finished. Our practice colleagues will be behind protective plastic screens, but this is for the safety of everyone. No other patients will be waiting in the reception area and you will be guided to the appropriate treatment room, following the distance markers that will be displayed throughout practice.
Treatment:
Before you enter the treatment room, you will need to leave any loose belongings like your coat or bag in the designated box provided. Upon entering the treatment room, our teams will be wearing extra Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as in order to provide you with the right care and service, they cannot adhere to social distancing recommendations. This may mean that it is more difficult to see our colleagues and clinicians’ faces, but please be reassured that they will be the usual friendly team. Naturally we are also ensuring that each treatment room is carefully cleaned and disinfected after each patient. You will be asked to wash your hands and to place your mask into a plastic bag.
If you are attending for a treatment that requires an Aerosol Generating Procedure (AGP) – any procedure that has the potential to cause spray you will be asked to carefully swill your mouth with a hydrogen peroxide solution for 1 minute. One of our team will talk you through this on the day.
After the appointment:
When your treatment is complete, you will replace your face mask, wash your hands and collect your belongings from the box outside the treatment room door. Before you leave the practice, you will dispose of your mask at the door and leave after using hand sanitiser one last time, before we say goodbye. If you have any questions after the appointment, we will be able to call you to discuss this further asour aim is to minimise your time in the practice, for your own safety.