APC CARE is fully operational and taking extra precautions to keep people safe

During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic we are operating a normal service, with all offices open and ready to support new and existing clients who need assistance at home.

The safety and wellbeing of the people we care for and our staff is of paramount importance. To ensure this we have implemented a number of extra steps in accordance with the latest expert advice, including ensuring all our care assistants have and wear personal protective equipment (PPE) such as aprons and gloves.

On this page you’ll discover:

How we are supporting you or your family member during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
How we are protecting our clients and staff during coronavirus
Tips on staying safe and reducing the chances of catching coronavirus
How we can help if you or your loved one is self-isolating or suffering from coronavirus
Where to find further information about coronavirus

We are here to support you or your loved one during the coronavirus pandemic

We are providing the same high levels of care during the coronavirus pandemic and our office remains open and fully operational.

We are taking all the necessary precautions

To ensure we are implementing the correct procedures and support duringthe pandemic we are constantly reviewing, sharing and following the latest guidance from the Department of Health and SocialCare and Public Health England. You can read more about our COVID-19 precautions here.

We’d love to hear from you

A member of our friendly team will be happy to go over the steps we are taking to ensure our clients and staff are staying safe and well during this difficult time. As always we would be happy to give you further details about APC CARE LIMITED home care services and how we can help you or your loved one.

Please contact us on 01323 849019.

Here’s how we are protecting our clients and staff during coronavirus

We take the health and safety of our clients and care staff very seriously and our priority is to implement the correct procedures and support so we can safely continue to deliver vital care to our clients during the coronavirus outbreak.

We are closely monitoring the situation and following the latest guidance from the Department of Health and Social Care and Public Health England, including provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as aprons and gloves. We are also in regular communication with the Care Quality Commission, the United Kingdom Home Care Association and local authorities.

Our staff are trained in infection prevention and control, and our Managers and Compliance officer are on hand to support their practices, making sure they meet the highest possible standards and that additional precautions are implemented as identified through our person-centred risk assessments.

Our COVID-19 guidelines

Many of our clients have an increased risk of catching coronavirus and we take this extremely seriously. All our staff are working to the same high standards, in line with those recommended by the Department of Health and Social Care and Public Health England, the Government and the NHS. Our COVID-19 guidelines for staff are as follows:

Carers should wash their hands and wrists for at least 20 seconds upon arrival, throughout and on leaving every client’s home.
Carers will wear new disposable gloves and a plastic apron for each client visit. These will be binned when they leave the client. Aside from regular hand washing this is a crucial preventative measure to reduce the risk of infection.
Carers will not shake hands with anyone, anywhere, and avoid hugging or being close to anyone aside from the immediate family members they live with.
Carers will not share cups, crockery or water bottles with other members of staff or clients.
Carers will wash their uniform or work clothing daily to reduce the chance of infection.
Carers will try to stay – wherever possible – at a distance of two metres from clients, other members of staff, or medical professionals.
Carers will refrain from touching their face, nose and eyes as much as possible
Carers will clean working surfaces as often as possible with anti-bacterial solution. This is especially important for areas of high use.
Carers will regularly clean their mobile phone and refrain from using client’s telephones.
If hand washing facilities are not available, carers will use a hand sanitiser.

Protecting our staff and clients

Our extensive and robust company wide protocols and procedures continue to ensure we are providing the safest levels of care and support. We are keeping staff updated frequently as the situation changes.

Our carers are taking every precaution they can to avoid catching COVID-19. If they should unfortunately show symptoms of the virus they will follow the correct protocol in accordance with the latest NHS and Government advice. If you or your friend or family member has a live-in carer with symptoms of the virus they will need to self-isolate and your care manager will arrange for a replacement.

Social distancing and supporting our key workers

We are following the latest NHS and Government guidance regarding social distancing to ensure that, wherever possible, our care staff are minimising direct contact with their clients and families.

How we can help you or your loved one

The coronavirus pandemic presents an unprecedented situation that is understandably causing worry and anxiety for many. It can be extremely isolating to not be able to see friends and family or take part in social activities.

Our carers are a friendly face and for you or your loved one they are also a vital link to the outside world. We understand just how important this is and will do all we can to foster and protect it, in a safe way.

We are helping those feeling isolated, worried and confused

We will continue to provide care to clients required to self-isolate and we are working to ensure all our frontline staff have enough personal protective equipment and hand sanitisers.

Care if you’re self-isolating or have coronavirus

If you are (or a loved one is) a client of Caremark and you suspect that you may have COVID-19 please contact your care manager as soon as possible. If you or your loved one does not need hospital treatment, we will work with you/them to keep the home care plan in place as much as we can. We will assess each situation on a case-by-case basis.

Wherever possible we believe it is much easier to control infection risk if you or your loved one stays in your/their own home, with the consistency of the same carers and familiar home surroundings.

Assistance with food shopping or collecting prescriptions

If you are a client or a potential client and you are having trouble getting food shopping or medication please don’t hesitate to call your local office who will be able to explain how we can help. Please click here to find the contact our office on 01323 849019.

Advice for preventing coronavirus

As with any other virus, the best way to prevent infection and spread is to avoid being exposed to it. The NHS has produced detailed guidance to help stop the spread of COVID-19., we have included some of the more top level advice below:

Everyone must stay at home to help stop the spread of coronavirus.

You should only leave your home for very limited purposes:

shopping for basic necessities, for example food and medicine, which must be as infrequent as possible
one form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle – alone or with members of your household
any medical need, including to donate blood, avoid or escape risk of injury or harm, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person

When doing any of these activities, you should minimise time spent outside of the home and ensure you are two metres apart from anyone outside of your household.

To reduce the risk of getting ill with coronavirus:

wash your hands with soap and water often – for at least 20 seconds
use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
wash your hands as soon as you get home
cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze, put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards
avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands

If you have symptoms of coronavirus (a high temperature or a new, continuous cough), use the 111 coronavirus service.

Advice for people at higher risk

People most at risk from coronavirus are being contacted by the NHS. This list includes those who:

have had an organ transplant
are having certain types of cancer treatment
have blood or bone marrow cancer, such as leukaemia
have a severe lung condition, such as cystic fibrosis or severe asthma
have a condition or are taking medicine that makes them much more likely to get infections
are pregnant and have a serious heart condition

If you or a member of your family is one of the most at risk groups of people you/they should closely follow the information provided in the letter from the NHS. This includes getting food and medicine delivered and left outside your door. To help with this you can register at GOV.UK to get coronavirus support.

APC CARE can help with assistance in the home and please be assured that all our staff are taking the necessary steps to ensure their own and their clients safety and wellbeing. Please contact our office on 01323 849019. Someone will be in touch to discuss your requirements with you and explain in more detail how we can help.

For further information about staying safe please see the NHS’s guidelines here.

Further information about coronavirus (COVID-19)

The situation with coronavirus is fast moving. We are prioritising keeping up-to-date with the most recent information to ensure best practice throughout our services. We have put together the following list of links for further information:

We want our clients and their loved ones to feel reassured and safe in the knowledge that we are looking after them properly. We understand that you may have concerns and questions about our care during coronavirus, so please don’t hesitate to contact us on 01323 849019