COVID-19

We have now entered our third national lockdown and consequently, we have updated our website regarding Coronavirus which references some of the latest government guidance which is the law.

We are pleased that the vaccine programme has commenced and any news that comes to our attention regarding the vaccination schedule we will contact you.

Currently, approximately 1 in 3 people who have Coronavirus have no symptoms and could be spreading the virus without realising it. Therefore it’s important that Clients and their  Family Members Remember – ‘Hands. Face. Space.’

• Hands – wash your hands regularly and for at least 20 seconds
• Face – wear a face-covering in indoor settings where social distancing may be difficult, and where you will come into contact with people you do not normally meet
• Space – stay 2 metres apart from people you do not live with where possible, or 1 metre with extra precautions in place (such as wearing face coverings)

 All our Care Workers are supplied with adequate stocks of Hand Sanitiser, Water Resistant Face Masks, Aprons and single-use gloves. Where a risk assessment indicates a need for a Face Visor, these will be supplied. To ensure both Client and Care Worker safety we are constantly monitoring our stocks of PPE to maintain sufficient levels as all individuals can be safely cared for at home by a Rhythmic Care, Care Worker regardless of their COVID status, if the guidance on the use of PPE is correctly followed.

Rhythmic Care observes the national legal requirements, and our Care Workers are tested weekly and when a Care Worker tests positive they self-isolate for 10 days. When NHS Track and Trace contact one of our Care Workers they also have to provide details of anyone who they have been in close recent contact with during the period of 48 hours before symptoms and or a positive test, and up to 10 days afterwards. If someone is at risk because of close contact with a positive case, then they will be notified to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace. Please note that  the name of the person who has tested positive cannot be shared with Clients 

Regarding Infection Control, it continues to be important that everybody washes their hands regularly and or uses hand sanitiser.  Similarly, Care Workers must wear medical graded PPE correctly in all 2-metre contact with their Clients and in accordance with Infection Prevention Control (IPC) guidance.  Therefore if one of our Care Workers are providing direct care to a Client with confirmed COVID-19 and are wearing the correct PPE they will not be considered as a contact for the purposes of contact tracing and isolation and subsequently not required to self-isolate for 10 days. Therefore the correct wearing of PPE is overriding.

We have implemented various processes to make our office a safer environment, examples being the provision of accessible hand sanitisers, checking of temperature, new signage, reduced Reception seating, desk screening plus regular cleaning of telephone handsets, keyboards and desks etc.

Due to the pandemic developing over the course of nearly a year, we are constantly reviewing our Procedures and Policies which includes ongoing Care Worker training on Coronavirus and Infection Control.

GDPR allows Rhythmic Care to request contact information from our staff and those receiving care and share it with NHS Test and Trace to help minimise the transmission of COVID-19 and support public health and safety. It is not necessary to seek consent from each person. However, we wish to make sure that both our staff and recipients of care are aware that their contact information may now also be shared with NHS Test and Trace.

Our Clients and Care Workers wellbeing and safety remain a priority and we are continually looking at ways we can improve our services. Equally, we also pay great attention to the Government issued guidelines, especially where PPE and hospital admissions are concerned. We also continue to comply with and respond to all CQC and Local Authority directives.

To get the latest NHS information and advice about COVID-19, please visit here.

Who’s at higher risk from coronavirus (COVID-19) – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

 Public Health England – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

 Coronavirus (COVID-19) advice for social care (scie.org.uk)

 Covid-19 resources (health-in-mind.org.uk)

 Redbridge – Coronavirus information hub

 ‘Hands. Face. Space.’ Watch the Government’s new coronavirus campaign video – YouTube

Covid-19 Winter Plan

Newham Covid-19 information