Alpine Care office remains open and can be contacted on 0121 2001170 / 07810111714
Alpine Care COVID-19 Statement
We are routinely monitoring developments, reviewing our protocols, and preparing appropriate responses as the situation evolves. Alpine Care is committed to ensuring all steps are taken to protect the health and wellbeing of all our colleagues and customers.
Just as we have done previously in preparation for and during virus outbreaks, Alpine Care continues to work closely with Health Authorities, Homecare Association and Care Regulators in order to protect colleagues and customers and maintain service delivery.
We are keeping our Business Continuity Plans under review in preparation for a possible escalation of the outbreak.
Changes in legislation impacting all frontline care staff delivering face to face regulated activities in England will come into force on the 1st of April 2022 at which point it will be a statutory requirement for anyone working in Home Care in England to be double vaccinated. At Alpine Care we already actively encourage all of our staff to be fully vaccinated for the safety of themselves, our customers and their families.
Advice during coronavirus
At the time of writing this notice the UK is experiencing a period of sustained transmission of coronavirus. This means that cases of coronavirus are continuing to rise rapidly.
However, as with any other virus, the best way to prevent infection and spread is to avoid being exposed to it. You can help to prevent the spread of any respiratory outbreak by doing the following:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Always wash your hands when you get home or into work
- Use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the bin straight away, or sneeze into the bend of your elbow, then wash your hands.
- Avoid close contact with persons who have respiratory illness symptoms.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Cover your face by wearing a face covering in enclosed spaces
- Make space by staying at least 2 metres apart – or 1 metre with a face covering or other precautions.
- If you have coronavirus symptoms, stay at home (unless you are attending a test site) and book a free NHS test to check if you have coronavirus.
- If you are asked to self-isolate please follow the advice from the test and trace service in your area / nation. In some nations it is an offence not to self-isolate if told to do so.
- If a member of staff has a positive confirmed diagnosis of coronavirus, Alpine Care office will prepare a list of all customers and staff the affected person has been in contact with for at least the previous 48 hours. We will fully co-operate with local test and trace services and contact customers or their representatives where this is appropriate.
Alpine Care support during coronavirus
At Alpine Care we will continue to provide the highest level of care and support our customers expect during the coronavirus pandemic. We follow government guidance in the UK to ensure we protect our customers and our staff. There are a number of measures we have taken to ensure we protect our customers, our staff and members of the public including (but not limited to):
- We have a COVID-19 office risk assessment in place in accordance with government and HSE guidance.
- All Alpine Care staff wear Personal Protective Equipment in accordance with government guidance. In England the guidance followed is Personal protective equipment (PPE) – resource for care workers delivering homecare (domiciliary care) during sustained COVID-19 transmission in the UK.
- Wecomply with five steps to safer working together to evidence they are staying COVID-19 secure in 2020.
- We have access to a central COVID-19 toolkit. This is a hub of resources that ensures our offices remain up to date with and follow current guidance.
- We have a Business Continuity Plan in place which includes COVID-19 specific measures where disruption could occur.
Travel
For those who need to travel, please ensure you are up to date with current COVID-19 guidance for your area.
Useful links to further up to date information
For the most up to date information you can visit The Department of Health and Social Care or see the below links for various official sources.
- Advice for the public (Gov.UK)
- Health Protection Scotland
- Public Health Wales
- Public Health Agency (Northern Ireland)
- HSE