Post lockdown opening
We are delighted to reopen and to be able to deliver care to our lovely patients again. There is no business or individual that has not been affected by Covid19, this is our story. We have spent weeks preparing the clinics and have gone above and beyond The College of Podiatry & HSE guidelines to ensure the safety of our patients and staff.
We have spent thousands of euros on all of the clinics and introduced many safety measures and protocols (these are available on request in the clinics if you wish to read them). There are now Perspex screens around the front desks and a discrete barrier between the patient and Podiatrist during treatment. PPE has been provided for staff and patients and there is no shortage of hand sanitiser!
We have altered how the clinics are run. In our Balbriggan & Drogheda clinics we previously had two practitioners working per day. Routinely we would see patients every 20 minutes, this created a busy hubbub and often filled seats in the waiting rooms. In order to accommodate social distancing and reduce potential cross infection we have stripped it down to one Podiatrist per clinic and seeing patients every 30 minutes. This means, the previous patient should have left the clinic before the next one arrives and allows for the extra cleaning between consultations.
The loss of revenue during the lockdown and the cost of all the changes have been immense. However, we felt we wanted to create the safest possible environment for everyone to ensure we can continue to give the highest standard of care. We always wish to be transparent and highlight that there is no profiteering. We have always used PPE (masks and gloves), but the cost of PPE has rocketed and therefore we have had little choice but to pass on part of that to our patients. Each patient, at present will pay an additional €5. Due to the backlog of patients and demand of appointments, we ask that, when possible patients pay by credit/debit card on the phone when making their appointments. This again reduces cross contamination and time spent in the clinic waiting area.
We understand that this is a difficult and unique time for everyone. We appreciate your understanding and aim to continue to provide the best care for our patients.
Best wishes and keep safe Hayes & Associates x