COVID-19

COVID-19 and promoting positive mental health at The Anchor Practice

The Anchor Practice remains open and offering services for both existing patients and new referrals and enquiries. We are continuing to offer face to face appointments where requested but have implemented changes to our practice (see below) in order to protect our patients, our clinicians and the wider community in line with current NHS and government guidance regarding the reduction of transmission of COVID-19. Face to face appointments can be offered or continued only where we are satisfied that all parties are completely free of any symptoms that could indicate a COVID-19 infection (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/). We understand that access to healthcare appointments is vital to individual wellbeing and we have adapted our services in order to minimize disruption to current treatments and to respond to those seeking support. We have therefore implemented the following changes:

We are now offering online consultations and treatment sessions via video link, in line with government advice to reduce contact with others. Importantly, this means that treatment can continue for those patients who might have to self-isolate at some point during their treatment. This will be conducted using a platform called Zoom [https://zoom.us/]. All current and new patients of the practice will be able to access sessions in this way whether self-isolating or not, and further information on this platform is available on request.
As noted above, face to face appointments can be offered or continued only where we are satisfied that all parties are completely free of any symptoms that could indicate a COVID-19 infection.
We ask that anyone coming to an appointment washes their hands before and again after the session in the handwashing facilities adjacent to the consulting rooms.
We have removed communal resources from our consulting rooms to minimize infection risk, including tissue boxes.
We have increased distance between clinicians and clients during face to face appointments and will keep rooms well ventilated.
All clinicians are following recommended hand washing protocols as well as enhanced shared surface cleaning protocols.
Anchor Practice clinicians are currently volunteering their expertise to community organisations and will continue to do so as the situation develops.

We understand that the current national and international situation regarding COVID-19 and the uncertainties it presents can have significant effects on the mental health and emotional wellbeing of individuals and families, and for those with existing mental health conditions can present additional demands and stresses. The Anchor Practice remains ready to respond to the situation in a safe and clinically responsible fashion. If you would like to talk through any concerns please get in touch here.

We hope that you and your family stay well in this concerning time.

Sincerely,

The Anchor Practice Team