Covid-19 and Therapy

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Covid-19 & in-person counselling – risk assessment 

London is currently under lockdown restrictions. Under lockdown restrictions I am not permitted to meet with clients at home. I am currently only working via Zoom.

I hope to return to meeting in person as soon as this is safe and allowed. I am taking advice and guidelines from the BACP. Current BACP guidelines can be found on their website. 

The following precautions relate to in-person working and are currently not applicable. I am leaving them here for reference fior when I ca can return to in-person working.

Precautions

You will need to think about your journey to my location.

Transport 

• A public transport journey to my location is allowed under current restrictions. It is your decision if you want to make this journey. Please follow any restriction in place while travelling. 
• On street parking continues to be available. I can provide parking permits if required.
• · encourage cycling and there are places to lock a bike on street. I would prefer bikes to be left outside.

Counselling room

• The chairs in my counselling room are 2 metres apart and are placed to ensure social distancing. The window will remain open, weather permitting, to ensure a good airflow.
• I would like you to sanitise your hands on arrival. I would encourage you to use your own hand sanitiser but I will also have hand sanitiser available. 
• Door handles, chair arms and table surfaces will be wiped down by me with antiseptic wipes between clients. 
• Tissues will be available from a single use pack. You will be asked to take used tissues and any opened pack with you. There will be no bin in the room. Please bring bottled water if required. 
• You will only be able to use the bathroom if essential. It is not available for hand washing as I would encourage the use of hand sanitiser. If you wish, you can choose to wear a mask and gloves or take any additional precautions. I do not plan to wear a mask or gloves.

If you wish to take any extra precautions, please let me know  and we can discuss this.  

Track and trace

Whilst your sessions with me remain confidential, due to the track and trace policy, I may be required to give details to the NHS of all people I have been in contact with. This is a legal requirement and I would only be obliged to give them your basic contact details but not any details about our contact.

If I am contacted by the contact and trace service, I will need to return to self isolation for 14 days. If this happens, we will need to return to working online via Zoom. This may happen at short notice. 

If you begin to experience any symptoms of Covid-19 please do inform me as soon as you can.

Further info: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-test-and-trace-how-it-works 

This document will be kept under review and updated as the situation changes. You will be kept up to date of any changes. The most recent version is also available on my website.

Ken Clarke

16th February 2021