07/07/2020
Re-Opening Announcement
To our valued patients,
Firstly, we hope you and your loved ones remain safe and well. It has been a long time, but we are really pleased to inform you that we will be reopening the practice on Monday 13/07/2020, a day we thought would never come!
We have been overwhelmed by your support during the lockdown period and ask that you bear with us that little bit longer, after which time we look forward to welcoming you back into the practice.
Whilst many things may have changed over recent months, what has not is our commitment to you and delivering the highest standards of patient care.
Safety and infection control have always been of the highest priority in our practice and over the past few weeks, we have been continually reviewing guidance, ensuring that when we do re open, we are providing a safe environment for our patients and team members. Planning our return to work has been ongoing for some weeks now and we have updated our operating procedures, increased our safety protocols as well as purchased enhanced PPE.
Infection control measures
• Staff will be wearing enhanced PPE such as respirator masks, gowns, aprons, full face visors, head and shoe coverings.
• Additional hand sanitizing stations have been installed in the waiting area and outside surgery.
• All surfaces including door handles, card machine will be disinfected after every use.
• We have invested in a very high air purification system to reduce airborne and droplet virus exposure. These are commonly used in hospitals in many parts of the world. To find out more about these please follow this link https://radic8.com/
• Dental dam- we will use a sheet of latex free material to isolate your tooth/teeth before we commence treatment.
• We have purchased an advanced high-volume suction system which reduces aerosols by 90%
• All staff have undergone extra training in the latest methods infection prevention and control, new processes, policies and protocols and enhanced PPE.
As a result of these increased protocols, your next visit to the practice may look and feel different. Our team members will be wearing enhanced PPE, we will of course be promoting social distancing and your journey through the practice may be different. Fear not though, we are still the same team we were prior to entering lockdown!
New patient journey following the BDA advice Public Health England, CDO, FGDP, GDC and CQC Guidelines
• We will be operating a “closed door “policy so you will need an appointment to enter the practice.
• Health screening will be carried out over the telephone or by completing a screening form via online link before you can book an appointment.
• Your medical history, smile analysis, contact consent and personal details update can now also be completed online before your appointment. If you are unable to complete these forms online please let us know in advance and we will be sending you a pre-appointment pack in the post.
• If we feel you are at risk of having possibly been infected with Covid -19, even if you are asymptomatic, we will respectfully ask you to delay booking any appointments with us for at least 14 days.
• We recommend that patients in the high-risk group for developing complications from coronavirus delay non-essential dental treatment.
• Information on who’s at higher risk from coronavirus can be found on https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/people-at-higher-risk/
• Appointments will be managed to allow for thorough decontamination between patients. This means that you will be offered fewer options for scheduling your appointments.
• You will be asked to complete your paperwork (if possible) by an online link before your appointment but if this is not possible please bring your own pen to sign any paperwork.
• Please arrive as close to your appointment time as possible and wait in a safe place outside the practice or in your car until the receptionist asks you to come in.
• You must attend alone unless you are bringing a child or a carer, in which case you must inform us before your appointment.
• Please come wearing your own mask or be prepared to wear one provided by the practice, you will also be given a pair of disposable gloves to wear while you are in the practice.
• Staff will not shake hands.
• Your temperature will be taken. If your temperature is above the normal limit of 37.8 C you will be advised to rebook your treatment and follow the government guidelines on self-isolation.
• You will be asked to sanitize your hands on arrival at reception, before entering the surgery and before leaving the practice.
• We will ask you not to use the practice toilet unless it is an emergency.
• You will notice the waiting room area looking a bit bare as we had to remove any non-essential items such as magazines, leaflets and tv remote control to minimize cross infection.
• You will also notice a Perspex screen has been installed at reception and two meters markings have been placed on the floor to protect you and the staff, in addition to these, receptionists will be wearing masks and gloves on reception.
• When you enter the surgery, you will notice the dentist and nurse wearing enhanced PPE such as FFP3/FFP2 masks, head covers, shoe covers, surgical gowns, and aprons.
• You will be asked to remove your mask and you will be provided with a mouthwash to gargle for 30 seconds before your examination.
• Any follow up appointments will be made over the phone or by email.
• We ask that all payments are made over the phone prior to attending or after your appointment.
Due to staff shortage we have had to make some temporary changes to our opening hours. Our new opening hours are:
Monday: 08:45 - 13:30 14:30 - 16:45
Tuesday: 08:45 - 13:30 14:30 - 16:45
Wednesday: 08:45 - 13:30 14:30 - 16:45
Thursday: Telephone enquiries only
Friday: Telephone enquiries only
Referrals for certain procedures
Even after the practice has reopened, please be aware that you may need to be referred to an urgent care centre for treatment.
Some procedures will not be offered straight away in the practice. The supply of enhanced PPE dictates whether a dentist can offer aerosol generating procedures. As a result, we may continue to triage our patients to urgent dental care centres for such procedures.
As expected, there are many of you who are eager to be seen and we will endeavour to get to you all as soon as we can. The practice is currently open for telephone enquiries only, so should you need to speak to a member of the practice, please contact us by calling 0208 500 3339
Please do not attend the practice in person just yet!
Initially we will be prioritising those patients who have had or are still in severe pain - we have a list of patients who have contacted us to use the emergency triage service during the lockdown period and we will be contacting you shortly to discuss your current needs.
Thereafter we will reschedule all examinations, hygiene and routine appointments – we have a record of all appointments that have been cancelled because of the lockdown. We will be in touch to arrange appointments, and we will ensure every patient is seen as soon as possible.
Finally, thank you again for your loyalty and patience throughout this pandemic – we truly are grateful for your support and cannot wait to get back to seeing and treating our patients.
If you have any questions, please get in touch and for now stay safe and well!
Best wishes
The Fencepiece Dental Practice Team
Advice for people at higher risk from coronavirus (COVID-19), including older people, people with health conditions and pregnant women.
