Service Provision Announcement - The New Normal

Your Dentist in hastings will be re-opening on Monday 15th June but we just wanted to be clear that this may not be business as usual. The treatments you are offered may be different to those you received before, depending on staff and personal protective equipment (PPE) available. It will take some time before services return to what you previously experienced as normal. Please be patient.

Our community has been through a lot over the last few months, and all of us are looking forward to resuming our normal habits and routines. While many things have changed, one thing has remained the same: OUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR SAFETY.

Infection Control

Infection control has always been a top priority for our practice and you may have seen this during your visits to our surgery. Our infection control processes are made so that when you receive care, it’s both safe and comfortable. We want to tell you about the infection control procedures we follow in our practice to keep patients and staff safe.

Our practice follows infection control guidelines made by the governing bodies. We are up to date on new guidance that has been issued. We do this to make sure that our infection control procedures are current and adhere to recommendations.

You may see some changes when it is time for your next appointment. We made these changes to help protect our patients and staff. For example:

• Our practice will communicate with you beforehand to ask some screening questions. You’ll be asked those same questions again at your appointment

• We have hand sanitiser that we will ask you to use when you enter and exit the practice.

• As before magazines, children’s toys and so forth will not be offered in the practice, since those items are difficult to clean and disinfect

• Appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients. That might mean that you’re offered fewer options for scheduling your appointment.

We will do our best to allow greater time between patients to reduce waiting times for you, as well as to reduce the number of patients in the reception area at any one time.

What to expect and how can you help?

• If you are unwell for any reason it is better to not come to the practice. If you suspect you have symptoms of COVID 19 please stay at home and follow NHS guidance. Please let us know as soon as possible by calling the practice on 01424 423033.

• Please do not arrive without an appointment. Access to the dental practice will be restricted to patients with pre-booked appointments only, you can call us on 01424 423033 to book an appointment.

• With the exception of children and patients with carers, patients should come alone.

• Patients should come wearing a mask or face covering. For your convenience, a face mask can be provided for a £1.00, however due to shortage in supplies we do urge you to bring your own face covering.

• Please do not arrive early to your appointment. If necessary, you should wait outside the practice, in your car or in Warrior Square garden until your appointment time.

• There will be a chair placed by the main entrance, this is for the use of the less able people if necessary. This chair is wiped clean regularly.

• We will be wearing a mask as we greet you. This is because we will be closer than 2 m. We will not shake your hand.

• We will use an infra-red thermometer to measure your body temperature on arrival. If you are feverish we will ask you to rebook your appointment for two weeks’ time.

• Please try to arrive cool and calm. Please do not run or race your bike to your appointment as your body temperature will be raised and you would appear feverish.

• You will be offered a tissue to use if you need to catch any cough or sneeze while in the building. Safe coughing/sneezing and hand hygiene are encouraged, and posters are displayed in different areas in the practice.

• A distance of at least 2 metres must be observed whenever possible, please check floor markings.

• Please come light as you will be asked to leave your coat and any other personal belongings including your mobile phone in a dedicated box in the waiting room.

• Patients' access to the toilet will be restricted. Please ensure you brush your teeth and use the loo at home prior to your appointment.

• Please make sure that we have your up to date contact details including your email address. Any paperwork i.e. medical history forms, treatment plans and consent forms will be sent to you by email to complete and email back prior to your appointment. Please do not bring in any hard copies, you can digitally sign any forms by printing your name otherwise you may check them at home and use our Pad to sign a soft copy on arrival.

• We no longer accept cash payments. Payment should be made in advance over the phone, any extra payment should be made by card as contactless where possible.

• We will invite you into the dental surgery which has been prepared for you. Your dentist and dental nurse will be wearing PPE with some extra layers being used for everyone’s safety. Please do not be apprehensive.

• Further appointments will be made over the phone later in the day or the next day. Treatment plans will be presented by email with discussion and scheduling done by phone whenever possible.

• Your treatment will be planned carefully and will be managed in a cool calm and safe environment.

We are determined that your experiences under our care continue to be effective, reassuring and confidence building while we offer you detailed attention as comfortably and safely as possible.

Many thanks for your continuous support as we manage your dental needs in these tricky times. Be Safe.

The team at Warrior Square Dental Practice