Islington Acupuncture Corona Policy:
Our commitment to the highest level of safety.

We are working on the re-opening of Islington Acupuncture and we want to update you on the new measures we will be putting in place to keep you all safe in our clinic.

This is just a start, as we learn more over the coming weeks and months we’ll update our policies. We have always been dedicated to the cleanliness of our clinic, and now we are following new recommendations in line with government and British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) guidance.

1. Staggered session times.

Session times will be staggered and with a 15 minute gap between each client. The session length will be 45 minutes, with a remote consultation for new clients. During the 15 minute gap between clients the practitioner will open the door and windows to clear the air in the room, disinfect any equipment used and wipe down the table, chair, treatment couch and door handles.

2. Arrival at the clinic:

In order to avoid too many people gathering in the waiting area, please time your arrival for 2 or 3 minutes before your start time, giving time to use the bathroom to wash your hands. If the bathroom is busy there is a hand-sanitiser unit on the wall by the inner entrance door to the second floor clinic.

3. Heightened Deep-Cleaning Process:

We will be using disinfectant on frequently touched surfaces after each client visit. We have changed the towelling couch covers for PVC and we will be using (surprisingly comfortable) wipeable pillow cases in order to be able to safely clean these surfaces between clients. As in the past, the clinic will be cleaned and bins emptied every day at the end of the day. If we are advised that anyone with Covid 19 has accessed the clinic we will close the building and carry out a deep clean.

4. Personal Protective Equipment:

For your safety we will wear fluid resistant face masks supplied by retailers recommended by the British Acupuncture Council. These retailers are not in competition with NHS supply routes. Our clinic uniforms will be washed after every session as will any towels or sheets used during your visit. We will wash our hands frequently in order to avoid the necessity of the wearing of gloves.

We will only be providing one towel/sheet per person. If you would like more covering you are welcome bring your own sheet or blanket.

5. Online pre-sessions and tongue pictures:

All new clients will have an initial remote session using Zoom (or similar online meeting place). This will allow us to take our time with the initial consultation and to meet initially without face masks. It also means that face to face sessions can be kept to a 45 minute time frame.

For existing clients in order to avoid potential problems with tongue diagnosis, we are going to ask you to show us your tongues virtually. We will send out requests with your session reminders to take a photo of your tongue before coming into the clinic. This is easy to do with a smart phone and will be deleted or stored securely with your notes in line with GDPR guidelines. It’s going to feel weird at first but hopefully we’ll all get used to it.

6. Consent Form:

We will be asking all new and returning clients to read and sign a short consent form. This has been produced by the BAcC with the aim of maintaining safety for everyone in at risk categories. We are hoping it can all be done online, but we may ask you to print it out, sign and return to us as a photo or scan. Thank you, in advance for your cooperation with this essential measure.

7. How you can help us to stay safe for others:

We are asking all of our clients to arrive at the centre wearing a face mask and to leave wearing the mask (until we are advised this is no longer required). This will help to prevent the spread of potentially infected particles in the air.

We have shut off the water dispenser for now as we couldn’t work out how to make it safe, so please bring your own drinking water.

Please also make sure to practice social distancing when in shared spaces like the stairway and waiting room.

8. Don’t come in if…

If you have a cough, fever, or symptoms of COVID-19, please do not come to the clinic until you’re symptom-free for seven days.

If you have tested positive for COVID-19, or have knowingly come into close contact with someone who has, we ask that you do not come to the studio for 14 days or until you’ve tested negative for COVID-19.

And finally…
We understand that all these new measures might seem over-fussy, but we believe that once you start your treatment you’ll find yourself back in a familiar, relaxing place with a sense of safety.

Thank you for your understanding.