We are now, hopefully, past the worst of the initial Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown. This is an update on when I aim to return to work, and why some clinics might be already opening for a select range of treatments.
This is subject to many influences and can change rapidly. My clients’ well-being is my main concern (and my health too) and that will be driving what I do and the decisions I make.
When will I be treating again?
July 2020, at the earliest, for in-clinic treatments. This will depend on how the infection rate is and the advice from the UK Government. It might be significantly later in the year.
I do not know when yoga classes at Clerkenwellbeing will restart.
Why are some clinics opening now?
Regulated professions (such as Chiropractors, Osteopaths, Podiatrists and Physiotherapists) are able to treat people according to the UK Government guidelines. They have been able to treat emergencies throughout the lockdown period if they feel it is appropriate. These people have a degree level qualification, and have been trained in donning and doffing PPE (Personal Protective Equipment).
However, the individual clinics and practitioners decide whether and when they are opening up again and whether they are seeing emergency cases only or including regular clients.
Why aren’t you treating again?
I am not a physiotherapist, I am a Massage Therapist. Legally, I am not allowed to see patients for an in-person face-to-face treatment at this time. I am a Complementary Medical practitioner, and we are grouped with the Beauty Industry and other Retail outlets. So according to the UK Government the earliest chance of re-opening is currently the beginning of July 2020.
I hold myself to high standards and I will follow the medical advice on best practices from the UK Government and the Professional Associations I am a member of.
What I can offer to my clients
I can offer one-to-one video conferencing sessions with my existing clients. Please note, due to insurance considerations, this is only for existing clients only. I am looking at ways of registering and working with new clients, but at the moment this is not possible. Please send an email to tim<at>relaxreleaserenew<dot>co<dot>uk or use the contact form to get in touch for more details.
These sessions are during the day only and “normal” Office Hours. I am enjoying having some evenings back, for the moment.
I am also looking to run online Yoga and Myofascial Release Self Care Classes. Again, these will be for existing clients only. Please send me an email if you are interested in taking part in these classes. When I am confident that I can offer this to new clients I will provide an update and a schedule.
What hurdles do I foresee?
There are so many things to consider and masses of information to process and I am doing my best to keep aware of what impacts my work. These are a few of the considerations that immediately strike me as possibly impacting my return to work:
- The threat of a second peak, and a return to lockdown. This will, naturally, delay me returning to work.
- Travel. I am reliant on Public Transport to make my way around London, and this is likely to pose a big problem for me getting to the clinics. I am watching to see the advice from TfL on how their trains are operating with maintaining Social Distancing, and what the practicalities actually are. I am also going to be starting to cycle, to get myself aclimatised to this (I’ve not been on a bike for over 7 years) and see if this is a possibility. Although being honest Stanmore will be too far for me to cycle.
- I have been reading the advice from the Governing Bodies and Associations that I belong to see what they suggest I might need to do when I return to treating patients face-to-face. I am waiting for a consensus and clarity over what will be the required standards (regarding PPE levels, spacing between clients for full clean down) but I do expect the number of clients I will be able to see to be signifcantly reduced for the foreseeable future.
- If PPE is required for me to treat, then I want to be certain that I can source the correct grade of equipment without adversely affecting Front Line NHS staff and key workers. I also want to be confident that I know the correct procedure to put it on, remove it and the safe disposal of used items.
Please stay safe
This T-shirt is a quote from Tad Williams’ Otherland Series and is the mantra of one of the henchmen called Dread. I feel that at this time it’s an appropriate mantra to bear in mind:
Confident: We may be past the worst of the first wave of the pandemic and things seem good.
Cocky: We should not become complacent, just because we are feeling confident.
Lazy: there are still reasons why we should be staying at home, maintaining social distancing and general hygiene.
Dead: yes this is extreme, but… It might not be us who dies, but maybe someone we share the virus with, or a member of their family…
(And yes, I’ve been letting my hair grow during lockdown, and it probably won’t be cut until at least July, if not longer.)
So what have I been up to?
As well as starting to go running, I have been trying to be productive with my time and here is a selection of what I’ve been doing to keep myself out of mischief:
- Completed, and passed, an Award in Education and Training. (A basic qualification in teaching) I had started this before Lockdown and completed using Zoom.
- Webinars, lots and lots of Webinars. Subjects have included Understanding Pain, The Use of Soft Tissue, The Lymphatic System, TMJ and Intraoral Scars and many more.
- Attended an online dissection course with the wonderful Gil Hedley.
- Reading text books (on the Fourth Phase of Water, The Functional Spine and Sacrum, The Pelvic Girdle)
- Taking a course on teaching Online Yoga
- My own Self Care, including more Yoga, Myofascial Stretching, Running and actually stopping and smelling the roses.
Thanks for reading this, and I hope that you all stay safe and healthy,
Tim
