Our Infection Prevention & Control Management Plan

Created 1/5/2020, Last updated 21/03/2023

As AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) registered Acupuncturists, we are already required to follow a specific set of infection prevention and control guidelines.  These guidelines are available here: https://www.chinesemedicineboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines/Infection-prevention.aspx

In addition to these pre-existing guidelines, we are now also taking additional measures to ensure patient and practitioner safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additional safety measures during the COVID-19 pandemic

·       Practitioners have undergone Infection Control Training for COVID 19 (for health workers) as provided by the Australian Government Department of Health

·       No cancellation fees applied for patients if cancelling due to COVID-19 positive diagnosis, due to illness, or for medical emergency/other emergency less than 24hrs before their appointment, as is our usual policy.

·       Prior to their appointment, patients have the OPTION to wait in car/outside clinic (rather than waiting room) to follow social distancing rules and avoid unnecessary interaction with other patients or health practitioners.   There is an understanding between practitioner and patients that if they are not in the waiting room at their allotted appointment time, their practitioner will text/phone them when they are ready to receive them.

·       Hand sanitiser for patients available for use in the reception area on arrival/departure, in every bathroom & hand washing station, and every treatment room, and we recommend its use at these times.

·       Physical distancing of 1.5m to be followed by practitioners & patients wherever possible, understanding that in order to properly assess patients and provide treatments (eg. pulse diagnosis & acupuncture treatment), close contact between practitioners and patients is unavoidable at times.

·       Patient and practitioner to sit at least 1.5m apart during the consultation (chairs placed in the treatment room accordingly)

·       Practitioners to wipe down the following treatment room surfaces with alcohol-based disinfectant between each patient if patient has come into contact with surface:

-       treatment bed (vinyl)

-       Pillows (wipeable waterproof pillowslips only)

- Single-use towels/linen used: if a patient is required to undress for treatment, and/or if a patient has a confirmed/suspected non-quarantinable infectious disease, and/or if linen has come into contact with the face/head region at any point during the treatment.

·      In addition to single-use linen and treatment bed sanitisation between patients, Purifas face shields are used if patients need to lie face down on the treatment bed. The face shields provide 100% face hole coverage and extra piece of mind.

·      Practitioner to leave room while patient is lying with acupuncture needles retained to reduce contact time.

·     Windows in treatment rooms and waiting room to be opened whenever possible to increase ventilation (weather permitting)

·       Option to pay by eftpos/credit card (contactless) on the day of their treatment if patients wish to minimise the handling of cash.

We appreciate that everybody’s situation is different, and everybody has a different level of comfort with regards to their safety.  If you have any questions or concerns about our procedures please contact us on 0422 550 256 and we’d be more than happy to answer any questions or address any concerns you might have.