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NADA Acudetox UK Treatment Program Practitioners guidelines

All NADA practitioners will be required to follow the guidelines of the NADA Acudetox ‘Code of Professional Conduct’ and the ‘Policy for the Practice of Auricular Acupuncture’. This includes specific standards that must be met within the hygiene and safety procedures. These standards must be implemented at all times to ensure the protection and safety of client/patients and staff members.
In the upcoming post-Covid-19 lockdown world, public-facing organisations must now follow new mandatory hygiene requirements regarding Covid-19 and cross contamination, which are changing in accordance with the latest national security measures and advice.
NADA practitioners should follow the guidance advised to ensure that they are prepared to re-open their doors to client/patients as soon as it is safe to do so.
Following on from this, practitioners should currently avoid providing home Acudetox treatment services to all client/patients, due to a safe and sterile environment not being guaranteed in a client/patients home.

Eliminate the Risks

NADA practitioners must conduct a Covid-19 risk assessment of all client/patient areas prior to any Acudetox treatments commencing – This includes treatment rooms, waiting areas and common rooms, along with any other areas that may be occupied.
Practitioners must create a document of all their observations. This document should be updated with information from regular surveys about the risks of infection.
A risk assessment document should include evidence that the ‘Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)’ assessment has been completed and meets the required regulations.

Upgraded safety systems

The entire working environment of a NADA Acudetox practitioner should be treated with a professional sterile clean before they can re-open services to the public.
All practitioners must wear the necessary medical grade personal protective equipment PPE. This includes medical masks and surgical gloves that should be put on entering the treatment rooms. If specifically required practitioners may also need to wear medical gowns and disposable shoe covers.
Treatment rooms must adhere to the new social distancing rules; chairs/seating must be placed at the appropriate safe distance, in line with government guide lines. (2 metres)
Practitioners should perform treatments whilst taking maximum precaution and must wear a mask or face shield over their face to cover against clients/patient’s breathing.
When delivering Acudetox treatments (needling), practitioners must wear clean gloves. The gloves should then be discarded into an appropriate clinical waste bin after each client/patient has been treated.
New gloves must be used for each client/patient treated.
Client/patients will be expected to bring their own medial grade PPE; however masks and gloves must be available to be offered to client/patient if required.
It is important to understand that used PPE will have to be safely disposed of as clinical waste. Fresh PPE should be used at the start of each day and replaced as necessary.
Used PPE and clinical waste must be stored for 72 hours before it can be taken out for collection and disposal.

No confusion

The current social distancing rule is looking to stay in place for the foreseeable future, even after the lockdown has been lifted.
For this reason, all working space, including staff-only areas, must feature clear signage that advises of the updated hygiene and distance rules. These rules must be followed in line with the UK’s efforts to recover from the Covid-19 and minimise the spreading of the virus.
Hand sanitiser dispensers should be installed in all areas across the premises. Hand washing should also be frequently encouraged and time given throughout the day to do so.

Safety – thorough and visible

All NADA practitioners should keep their clients posted about the efforts they are making to comply with the new clinical hygiene, health and safety guidelines.
Practitioners should use every communication platform that they have available to do this. Send emails; update the website; post on social media and ask patients to share the message; update leaflets and the rest of their literature; send text messages to clients.
These avenues should be used to promote the healthcare and medical services being delivered in a safe environment. It should be mentioned that these environments have been newly upgraded to protect clients from any potential infections and that everything possible is being done to enhance the safety of clients and the rest of the public.
Cleaning and sanitisation routines must be completed and repeated through the day. All surfaces must be frequently disinfected in the reception area, across the waiting spaces and the treatment rooms. It is important that clients are witnessing the new routines being followed before and after treatments to help improve their confidence and assurance in the Practise.

Protection from the COVID-19 – timely and discreet

NADA members have a duty of care to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus whilst administering Acudetox treatments.
Practitioners should formally and systematically ask all of their clients, new and established, about their Covid-19 status.
If a client comes into a clinic having currently tested positive or displaying Covid-19 symptoms, the client must contact the ‘NHS 111 Service‘ and follow the advice given before they can be seen again for treatment.
Before any physical contact or treatment is given, all clients must firstly wash and sanitise their hands.
A non-contact thermometer should be acquired as part of any preparations for re-opening clinics to the public.
Upon the arrival of each client/patient, a non contact thermometer should be used to measure client/patient temperature.
A temperature of 37.8° or higher would be classed as high risk.
The temperature reading should be included in the patient’s file, along with a record of any symptoms that the client/patients may display.
NADA practitioners must continue to ask their client/patients about any Covid-19 symptoms that they may have had after their first post-lockdown appointment.
This requires a new disclaimer in the client form that explains to them that they must answer the Covid-19 related questions in order to receive any Acudetox treatments.

Treatment rooms – secure and ventilated

NADA practitioners must ensure that their waiting rooms and treatment rooms are well-ventilated.
Where possible, make the ventilation natural by keeping any windows open, an extractor fan should be used as an alternative to any air-conditioning units.
Rooms which are not in use should be kept closed or locked at all times.

Safe Seating

NADA practitioners should ensure that all seating and surface areas in their waiting and treatment rooms are sterilised prior to any treatment beginning and will be required to wear medical grade gloves and masks whilst carrying out any cleaning activities.
The seating in the waiting room should be covered with a washable fabric, if possible, and sterilised regularly.
Alternatively, seats may be covered with paper rolls and changed after each use.
Clients/patients should refrain from bringing in any coats, bags, food or drinks into the treatment room.
NADA practitioners must wash all their clothes, uniforms or any other clothing used during treatment sessions with a high temperature daily wash.

Everything is cleaned after every appointment

Sanitisation products that are effective against the Covid-19 and which include at least 60% alcohol must be used.
Alcohol free hand sanitisers may not be effective against Covid-19 and should not be used.
NADA practitioners should follow the instructions that come with each cleaning product as they carry out cleaning and disinfection, as well as leaving enough time for the products to work before touching the surface again.
Practitioners should record all their cleaning and sterilisation activities and keep the documents in their files or on the wall of treatment rooms for future reference. These documents should include a clear record of all cleaning and sterilisation session which has been completed throughout the day.
Practitioners should allocate enough time between each Acudetox treatment to thoroughly complete the cleaning. A period of 30 minutes must be allotted between each appointment to allow for the appropriate cleaning and disinfecting taking place in the treatment room.
To prevent queues and risks of infection in the waiting rooms, NADA practitioners should take the process of booking in their clients/patients to avoid large groups or queues.
Practitioners are expected to wash and sanitise their hands before every appointment with their clients/patients.
On the premises of a NADA Acudetox program, clients/patients should expect to have the opportunity to wash and sanitise their hands when they enter and leave the building, also before entering the treatment room.
Clients/patients should expect the waiting rooms to be free from unnecessary decorations, cushions and magazines. Water dispensers should be removed and we expect NADA practitioners to ask their clients/patients in advance to bring their own bottled drinking water.
Practitioners should strive to minimise the chances of contamination by disinfecting all door handles periodically and at start of the day, throughout the day and at end of each day, taps and toilet facilities should also be included.
Practitioners should set up dedicated areas where client/patients can clean their hands and put on their masks and gloves.
When clients/patients are ready to leave the treatment room or building, they should either be escorted or pointed in the direct of where they can safely discard of their PPE, which should be in a covered container and then use a hand sanitiser to sterilise their hands.
Covered containers for PPE waste should be placed away from any other clients/patients or staff areas.
Practitioners must formally check with their new and current clients/patients about any possible allergies they may have to cleaning products, latex and powder. This information should be recorded on each patient’s file.

Organisations should produce a Covid-19 disclaimer that every client/patient must read and sign before they proceed for treatment.

This document will be under constant review for any changes in Government Health and Safety guide lines regarding Covid-19.
If practitioners feel you can add to these guide lines or there are guide lines you cannot adhere to, please let us know, we will be happy to review these guide lines at any time.
27/07/2020