Due to the current COVID -19 crisis our practice has been adapted to meet new standards to keep you and us safe and healthy during these times. These include guidance by the Department of Health and social care (DHSC) Public Health England and NHS England, The Institute of Osteopathy and the General Osteopathic Council.
We have a produced a step by step guide to explain the current ‘patient journey’ as it may be different to what you have experienced before.
- The evening before your appointment you will receive an appointment reminder and a questionnaire to complete about any current symptoms you may have. If you suspect you have Covid 19 or any unusual symptoms, please call us prior and do not come in. We ask patients to bring their own masks with you for your appointment with us if you can.
- When you arrive for your appointment, we would ask you to arrive on time and wait in your car in the car park. We will call you on your mobile phone when it is time to come in. Please do not come to the door or use the keypad. We will greet you with the door open and walk you immediately into the clinic room with us. We would ask that you do not bring other people with you to your appointment unless you require a chaperone. Please leave coats/ extra bags in the car to reduce items brought in with you.
- We will be wearing full PPE which will include an apron, face mask and gloves. We will also have a contactless thermometer to check temperatures.
- On entering the clinic room, we will ask you to wash your hands or use hand sanitiser which we will provide.
- During the consultation and chat we will place the chairs in the clinic a 2m distance apart and for as much of the appointment as possible we will keep a 2m distance. We are unable to use blankets to cover patients so we may ask you to undress for the examination and then if appropriate redress partially to allow you to be treated properly.
- Payment for treatment we ask will be card and contactless or if you prefer you can do a bank transfer after your appointment with us.
- On leaving the clinic room we will ask you to wash your hands or use hand sanitiser. We will walk you out of the clinic and out the main entrance.
Our clinic may look a little different as all books, joint models and surfaces will be minimised to allow cleaning. Pillows will be wipeable with no pillowcases or fabric plinth covers.
After each appointment, the room will be thoroughly cleaned before the next patient will enter the room.
We would ask if you subsequently have any symptoms of Covid -19 that you would inform us immediately by phone or email.
What to expect during your appointment
The following has been developed to explain exactly what to expect and answer some of the questions you might have. If you have any other concerns, please contact the practice by phone or email prior to attending your first appointment.
At the start of your first session, your osteopath will ask you to tell them about your problem. They will ask questions about your medical history and lifestyle as well as your symptoms. This is very important as it will help them to make an accurate diagnosis and suggest appropriate treatment. Your information will be recorded and kept securely.
The osteopath will need to examine the area(s) of your body causing discomfort. Sometimes the cause of the problem may be in a different area to the pain, (For example, a difference in leg length may result in compensations in the upper back which might result in neck pain) so they may need to examine your whole body. They will need to feel for tightness in the muscles and stiffness in the joints and may need to touch/palpate these areas to identify problems. They will explain what they are doing as they go along. If you are uncomfortable with any part of this, you have the right to ask them to stop at any stage without prejudicing your future treatment.
In order to examine you effectively, it may be necessary for your osteopath to ask you to remove some clothing as appropriate for the condition. Sometimes this might mean undressing down to your underwear. If you are uncomfortable with this, please make your osteopath aware of how you feel and discuss whether it might be appropriate for them to treat you whilst you wear shorts and a t-shirt.
The osteopath will suggest a course of treatment, which may require just one or several visits. They may be able to give you an estimate of how often they need to see you and any associated costs by the end of the first session. They will ask for your permission to provide treatment and you may be asked to sign a consent form.
Most osteopaths will begin your treatment at your first appointment, but sometimes they may require further tests first i.e. blood tests or scans. Occasionally they may diagnose an illness that they are unable to treat and may suggest that you consult your GP or another appropriate health professional. You may experience mild discomfort with some of the treatment techniques used, but osteopathic treatment is usually a very gentle process. Your osteopath will let you know if any discomfort is likely and it can be helpful to let them know what you are feeling. If pain persists after treatment, contact your osteopath for advice.
You are welcome to bring someone with you for all or part of your consultation. Children should always be accompanied by a parent or guardian. If you have any other questions, ask your osteopath.
