Despite many restrictions being lifted by the government, Longfield Community Hospice remains committed to following strong infection prevention and control measures, to protect our patients and their families, our shop customers, our staff and volunteers, and help prevent the spread of Covid.
The following measures will remain in force at the day hospice for the foreseeable future:
- Public Health England have advised healthcare providers that infection prevention control guidance must remain in place meaning that medical-grade face masks must continue to be worn by all staff and volunteers in communal areas and when moving around the building. For visitors, face masks must be worn when entering the hospice and whilst moving around the building.
- Social distancing, ventilation and restricted capacities in each room, as well as the use of screens in applicable areas.
- Hand sanitisation stations.
- Regular Covid testing for staff and volunteers.
- Care staff to wear protective equipment, including aprons and masks, when interacting with patients, families and carers where appropriate.
- All visitors and patients undertake a covid test when they enter the hospice.
Our Hospice at Home team will continue to follow Public Health England guidance, as they have throughout the pandemic, when visiting patients in their own homes. These include wearing PPE and hand sanitising frequently.
In our retail shops:
- Staff and volunteers will be encouraged to wear face masks on the shop-floor, unless behind a Perspex screen.
- Screens will remain in place by tills.
- Customers entering a shop will be encouraged, through the display of posters, to wear face coverings wherever possible.
- We will continue to encourage staff, volunteers and customers to practise good hand hygiene and sanitising at all times.
- Staff and volunteers will be encouraged to continue weekly Covid testing.