On the 20th August, Public Health England (PHE) published its updated guidance on infection control and prevention for healthcare settings, which applies to all countries in the UK. Since its publication, we have been reviewing its application to private practice settings in discussion with other healthcare professions operating in our sector, as well as PHE.
The main update so far determined is a change in infection control requirements around aeration and spacing between patients, which we know has been particularly challenging for many.
We can now confirm that fallow periods for aeration between patients are no longer required.
That said, it is still important that enough time is left between each of your patients to allow for the required cleaning.
We are also recommending that you continue to aerate at the end of each session or during the decontamination of your clinics at the end of each day.
There are aspects of the new guidance, particularly around the use of PPE, for which we are still seeking clarification in the meantime, our recommendations for PPE use and all other advice on infection control remain as before.
The full update is available here and from the COVID hub, along with all the other relevant recommendations.
