HCB STATEMENT & ACTION ON COVID-19 (CORONAVIRUS) November 2020

COVID-19 case numbers are rising rapidly across the whole of the UK and in other countries. We must act now to control the spread of the virus. The single most important action we can all take, in fighting coronavirus, is to stay at home, to protect the NHS and save lives.

When we reduce our day-to-day contact with other people, we will reduce the spread of the infection. That is why, from Thursday 5 November until Wednesday 2 December, the Government is taking the following action:

Requiring people to stay at home, except for specific purposes.
Preventing gathering with people you do not live with, except for specific purposes.
Closing certain businesses and venues.

These new measures have been carefully judged to achieve the maximum reduction in growth in the number of cases, preventing the NHS from being overwhelmed, whilst ensuring that schools, colleges and universities stay open and that as many people as possible continue to work.

31^st October 2020 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november

With the most recent government statement and planned legislation for England* in mind HCB’s small office-based team will begin working from home from 5^th November until 2^nd December 2020 or until such time whereby it is judged safe to return to the office. All members of the team have been issued with the equipment they require to complete their roles remotely. Whilst at home, staff will continue to follow advice to prevent the spread of Covid-19 including frequent hand washing and self-isolating within the home should they show any symptoms of the virus.

HCB Initial contacts will be undertaken by enhanced telephone/virtual assessment in the first instance and this will remain the case until such a time as general loosening of restrictions on all non-essential contact has occurred. If following this assessment or during initial discussion with the client or person being assessed, it becomes clear that an assessment in person is deemed essential the following steps have been agreed:

Initial discussion and agreement on the case will be undertaken with the Head of Clinical Services, Chrissy Clark
Benefits of a face to face assessment must be considered to outweigh the risks of possible infection transmission
Screening questions for Covid-19 will be completed before any further steps are taken
Fully informed consent of the infection transmission, risks, and implications there of as well as steps HCB has taken to limit these (inclusion provision of PPE) must be clearly set out and documented in the case manager’s report and/or client records
HCB have a full, documented, and up-to-date risk assessment for all client facing work in place and individual risk assessments will be undertaken and documented before any face to face assessment is completed
Where possible only the person being assessed can be present for the duration of any appointment
Adherence to NHS Track and Trace service is completed by all parties
HCB infection control policy has been updated to include current National Covid-19 guidance

* Although this legislation is for England, there are Covid-19 restrictions currently in place throughout the UK and Ireland and so the decision has been made for this HCB policy to be in place for all areas we are operating within.