Covid-19 Update

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All of the latest information and updates regarding Covid-19.

Latest updates following the easing of restrictions on July 19th

19.07.21

Despite the governments decision to ease social distancing and the use of masks, we have decided that in order to continue to prevent the spread of Covid-19, we will encourage all patients to wear a mask whilst inside our hearing centre. We have made this decision with the help of the governments advice, of continuing to wear a mask in close contact areas, and also our professional bodies. Having said that, we also respect the needs of every individual and so if you feel you cannot wear a mask whilst in our hearing centres, you will still of course be welcome. All staff will continue to wear masks when there are patients in the building.

We will maintain our strict sanitising procedures in between every patient and maintain social distancing. This does mean that if our reception area is full, we may ask you to wait outside or in your car until we can safely invite you in.

Upon arrival we will ask you to sanitise your hands and take your temperature. If you or anybody in your household develops symptoms of Covid-19 prior to, or on the day of your appointment, we kindly ask you telephone to let us know and our reception team will rearrange your appointment.

We thank you for your continued support and understanding that whilst the cases of Covid-19 are still very high we want to do everything we can to protect both our patients and ourselves.

No change to procedures during the vaccination roll out

02.03.2021

We are thrilled by how many of our local community have received the Covid-19 vaccination. This is such a positive step forward and we can perhaps finally start to see a light at the end of the tunnel.
That being said, we would like to reassure everyone that we are still providing a Covid safe environment with no relaxation on our current procedures. This is following the guidance set by our professional body and is in place to keep everybody safe.
The vaccination roll out has been a huge step towards overcoming this pandemic however, we must all work together and continue to follow the guidelines set out for us.
We once again thank you for all of your support and understanding.

Regular Fogging of our hearing care centre

02.02.2021

As part of our commitment to providing a safe and protected environment during the Covid-19 pandemic, Independent Hearing Care undergoes a regular disinfectant fogging which provides instant protection against the transfer of germs.

Fogging completely disinfects our entire hearing care centre including surfaces and equipment. The fogging machine produces a fine mist which disinfects an entire room in minutes, even covering areas which are hard to reach. The medi9 solution used is effective against bacteria, spores, fungi and viruses including Norovirus.

How we are prioritising your safety

15.01.2020

Audiology continues to be classed as an essential role to health and therefore we will NOT be affected by the national Lockdown.

The safety of our patients is always our main priority and it is our responsibility to maintain very strict procedures, in line with our professional body, to help keep you safe from Covid-19.

We want to reassure you that we take our responsibility very seriously and the adaptations we have made are necessary in order to help prevent the risk of spreading the virus.

We want you to feel safe and informed when visiting our hearing care centre, so we have explained below the adaptations we have made and the procedures we are following.

Providing guidelines for you to follow

Upon booking an appointment we will send you an email or post to you our Covid-19 guidelines which we kindly ask you follow. These include:

  • Arriving on time
  • Knocking on the door and waiting to be invited in
  • sanitising your hands upon arrival and exit
  • wearing a mask
  • carrying minimal belongings
  • Trying not to touch anything once inside
  • Attending alone if you are able to

Our receptionists will explain this process and answer any questions you may have.

Running by appointment only

We have always taken an open door approach to our care giving however in these times we must keep our door locked.

This is so we can limit the number of people entering the building. If you have come to the door to enquire about appointments, we will kindly ask you telephone to book.

Our strict one in one out appointment system means patients are not passing each other in the reception area. If you arrive early for your appointment, we will kindly ask you to wait in your car. The carpark is conveniently situated opposite with plenty of spaces.

Checking for Covid-19 symptoms

When you telephone to book an appointment, we will ask you to confirm you have no symptoms of Covid-19. We will also ask for you to fill in a form which confirms this. If you develop symptoms before your appointment we will ask you do not attend. We are happy to postpone appointments.

When you arrive for your appointment, we will take your temperature and ask you to sanitise your hands. We will ask you to do this again upon leaving.

This is to help protect yourself and others. If you have just one symptom of the virus, you could spread it to others.

All of our staff check their temperatures at the beginning of every day and continually asses themselves for symptoms.

Sanitising between appointments

Our appointments are spread out to allow time to sanitise in between each one. This process includes:

  • The spraying of all surfaces and equipment in the reception area and consulting room with antibacterial spray. This includes anything touched by a patient by either their hands or belongings.
  • The removal of PPE and donning of new
  • Washing and sanitising of our hands

We also take the time to thoroughly clean and wipe down all surfaces at the end of the day.

Offering contactless care where possible

If your reason for an appointment is something we can solve remotely, we can offer to. This helps to limit contact and reduce the time spent in our hearing care centre.

Our wonderful reception team are able to provide a drop off and collect service which includes the sale of batteries, changing of filters and replacement of broken wires. Simply drop your hearing aid off at the door, wait in your car or outside and we will pass it back to you on an antibacterial wipe. We just ask you telephone before-hand, so we know to expect you.

Please be reassured there is always help available. We may have to alter how we provide it, but it will always be in a way which is safest for you.

Wearing correct PPE

All staff members wear masks and regularly wash/sanitise their hands. Our audiologist will also wear a disposable apron and gloves for certain procedures.

We kindly ask that you also wear a mask. If you forget to bring one don’t worry, we have disposable masks available for you to keep.

A message from us

We want to thank all our patients for their wonderful support and understanding during these difficult times. Although we have had to make some changes, we want to reassure you all that we are here for you.

In these challenging times we must come together and support one another.

If anyone is struggling in any way, please talk to somebody. Our masks may be covering our mouths, but our smiles shine through.

Stay safe and together we can get through this.

Latest Covid-19 Update

02.11.2020

In response to the latest government decision to increase lockdown, we would like to reassure you that we are able to remain OPEN. Being classed as essential means we are able to continue to provide all of our hearing care services, including Micro-suction ear wax removal. We will of course continue to follow the strict cleaning and safety guidelines set our by our professional bodies.

Thank you for your continued support. We hope everyone is well and keeping safe.

A reassuring update. We are able to continue as we have been

14.09.2020

In response to the latest Covid-19 rules regarding local lockdown and stricter distancing measures, we would like to reassure our customers we are bale to continue to provide all aspects of hearing care including micro-suction ear wax removal.

We are continuing to follow strict sanitising and distancing measures as set out by our professional body BHSAA.

We thanks everyone for their continued support during this challenging time.

Independent Hearing Care are very happy to announce we are open!

16.06.2020

Independent Hearing Care is now open and offering appointments from our purpose-built hearing care centre in Knowle.

The government has always deemed audiology an essential role to help the public and now our professional bodies, BSHAA and BAA, have given us very clear guidelines for safe method of practice for both our staff and for you the patient.

The last few months have been a challenging time for everyone. A time of uncertainty and for many a complete change to daily life. For those who have hearing difficulties, maintaining good communication has been a priority. We understand the need for clear communication via the telephone and other digital platforms whether that be with loved ones or health care services. Not being able to hear those conversations can be very isolating, especially for those living alone.

Running strictly by appointment only, we are able to provide all of our hearing care services for existing and new patients. These include:

  • Hearing assessments
  • Fitting of hearing aids
  • Adjustments to hearing aids, including those not purchased with us
  • In house repairs, including filter changes and replacing wires
  • Micro-suction ear wax removal

When booking your appointment, we will ask you to confirm you have no symptoms of Covid-19 and explain the procedures we have in place to keep you safe. We will also send you information via email or post prior to your appointment with guidelines to follow upon attendance.

To minimise contact and maintain social distancing we please ask you don’t enquire about appointments at our door instead telephone 01564 791088 and our receptionists will happily help.

We thank you for your continued support and understanding.

We are happy to announce we are open from Monday 18th May

13.05.2020

Independent Hearing Care are happy to announce we will be reopening on Monday 18th May!

The government has always deemed audiology an essential role to help the public and we were exempt from the lockdown. And now our professional bodies, BSHAA and BAA, have given us very clear guidelines for safe method of practice for both our staff and for you, the patient.

It has been a bit of a nightmare sourcing the correct PPE and we are still working towards adapting the clinic but by the 18th May we will have put into place strict infection control precautions required.

We will be giving more information and instructions as and when we are booking or confirming appointments, but here are just a few points to note –

  • We practice the highest standard of professional clinical hygiene
  • We use sterile, single-use disposable products where possible
  • We always clean our hands before and after seeing a customer
  • After each appointment we will clean all equipment, door handles and hard surfaces
  • Customers will be asked to sanitise their hands before and after the appointment
  • We will be providing single use masks for patient’s use
  • We are extending appointment times to avoid more than one person in at a time
  • Any patient who feels slightly ill or has been in contact with a symptomatic person is being asked not to attend their appointment
  • We can offer you a home visit if you prefer (not wax removal, this is all in clinic)

We are really looking forward to being back at work and doing what we enjoy most and that is helping and supporting all our wonderful patients.

In the meantime, look after you yourselves and stay safe.

Ear care advice from Isabella Fisher

27.04.2020

The COVID-19 pandemic is a challenging time for many people, but I can only imagine how difficult it must be for those who are hard of hearing, especially if they are experiencing problems with their hearing aids. In these unprecedented times when we are asked to practice social distancing, maintaining good hearing is more important than ever. Hearing and communication are essential in a time of emergency. In isolation we need to be able to communicate virtually via a phone and other virtual platforms not only with our loved ones but with our Doctor, the Pharmacist and Emergency Services.

Isabella Fisher, Independent Hearing Care is a family run business where our ethos is “we listen so you can hear”. At present, following government advice, I am not able to give any face to face support, but I can still listen and would be happy to give telephone/Skype advice to anyone with hearing issues or if you are having any problems with your hearing aids. This obviously applies to my existing patients but in this unsettling period it is also open to any hearing aid users, private or NHS completely free of charge. I might also be able to help with battery supply and minor repairs on a case-by-case basis in line with government guidelines. Any help or advice will be given completely free of charge during this unsettling period.

However, not being able to hear does not always mean a hearing loss.

Wax build up is a common reason for temporary hearing impairment.
If you are suffering with ear wax, there is very little you can do in terms of self-medication. In normal circumstances we would advise a visit to your Doctor or to visit our clinic for a physical examination of the outer ear and if needed, microsuction wax removal. Only a professional, with the necessary training and equipment, can distinguish between the many ear conditions that have the same or similar symptoms to an ear wax blockage.

If you are confident it is ear wax blockage then do not try to scoop it out yourself. To quote the words said by many audiologists, “do not put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear”, as this will only compact the wax. There are safer methods that can be effective, such as ear drops. But remember not to use them if you have a perforated ear drum.

We recommend the use of olive oil, such as Earol. Olive oil is a natural product, and will soften and lubricate the wax, potentially loosening it up to make its own way out of the ear. It may at first make the blockage feel worse as the spray will fills all the gaps. Do not worry, keep using it and given enough time it should eventually work.

We generally do not recommend ear drops with active ingredients such as bicarbonate of soda or hydrogen peroxide. They are safe to use for a few days before an ear wax removal but left in your ear any longer may leave you open to an outer ear infection causing severe pain. While there is never a good time to get an ear infection, now is definitely not a good time.

We understand that having hearing problems or blocked ears can be very frustrating so if you think we can help please call us on 07592 502152 or alternatively email us with your details and we will add you to our waiting list for appointments when they become available; isabella@isabellahearing.co.uk

COVID-19

24.03.2020

Due to the Covid-19 virus, Independent Hearing Care has temporarily paused any face to face appointments.

We will continue to provide a limited hearing aid repair service. Please call 07592 502 152.

Our Facebook page also contains tips and tutorials on how to keep your ears healthy and hearing aids working efficiently.

From everyone at Independent Hearing Care, stay safe and look after your loved ones. We look forward to seeing you all again very soon.

Get in touch

Phone: 07592 502152

Email: isabella@isabellahearing.co.uk

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