Covid 19 School

Assured able to work by government and professional association August 2020. ✓

Balens insurance contacted August 2020✓

GCMT / MTI guidelines checked August 2020 ✓

Students (current and new) kept informed on changes in regulations and how this will affect training delivery i.e. move to blended learning. ✓

Student and tutor guidelines on return to face to face training shared ✓

Students consent to track and trace. Keep record of daily temperature check before face to face training day ✓

Covid-19 screening form e mailed out (and returned by e mail 24 hours before attendance) ✓.

All new and adjusted H&S documents filed with existing ones. Includes: GCMT /MTI guidelines, Balens e mail, Student and tutor guidelines, initial and continued  covid-19 screening form, blank temperature chart.✓

All PPE and equipment needed for return to practical teaching purchased✓

As premises are rented, training room and facilities were visited and adaptations needed by professional association and government for close contact work (e.g. removal of soft furnishings, decorative items) were communicated to center manager and agreed ✓

Action Points:

–          Regularly monitor government and professional association guidelines. Risk of changing restrictions in national and local areas.

–          Update website with changes to course delivery for future cohorts and covid-19 responsibilities for students and visitors.

All attendees advised to leave jewelry, including watches at home. Long hair to be contained.

All will leave all non-essentials for training such as heavy coats, food etc. secure in their car.

Students will wait in cars or socially distance in the car park.

Entrance will be clearly signed.

Tutor will gain access to training area through a main entrance. Open all windows and front door for ventilation.

Students will enter the training room through a dedicated entrance.

Tutor will change into work wear and store street wear.

Tutor will set up training room with socially distanced work stations ( e.g. massage table, chair covered with couch roll, student storage box, PPE, massage equipment, dedicated pedal bins, portable hand wash sink, cleanse of frequently touched surfaces and log).

Student admittance will be staggered. Students will don a face covering, remove their outdoor shoes in designated area, (replace with indoor footwear) wash their hands for 20 seconds, scan the track and trace poster and proceed directly to their learning station. They will change into appropriate workwear i.e. loose fitting trousers/skirt, short sleeved top that is front fastening and type IIR face covering provided by school. Street clothing must be placed in a bag provided and stored at their work station.

(NB. Student temperature will not be taken on arrival. If a student appears unwell, temperature will be taken and they will be asked to leave).

Use of Lateral Flow test is optional by students, tutors to carry out twice weekly.

At the end of the training session, work wear will be exchanged for outdoor wear and placed in a sealed bag. Students will be reminded to wash this at 60c.

Students and tutor will have a designated container for belongings and equipment provided by the school.

Students will remain seated (socially distanced) and only leave seats for hands on practice or visits to bathroom.

A portable sink for hand washing will be made available in the training room which tutors and students may use at a safe social distance. Cotton face cloths will be provided for washing hands, placed in a pedal bin and washed by the tutor at 90c and tumble dried.

Bathroom facilities are maintained by Centre manager and cleaning equipment is available to use at each visit. Student visits to bathroom will be one at a time as corridors are narrow for waiting. Apart from face mask, students to doff PPE when they leave the room and don clean PPE on return. Dedicated pedal bin provided.

Consumption of food (exception to those that evidence a medical condition requiring consumption of food) and use of mobile phones (unless incase of emergency or care provider) is prohibited in the training environment.

Use of the Centre kitchen appliances is currently off limits. They can access to drinking water.

Students must not share any items e.g. food, drapes, bolsters, oil, hand sanitiser.

The training room will be cleaned prior to students’ entry and a cleaning of frequently touched surfaces will be carried out every hour by tutor. This will be logged.

Laminated signs will be displayed for designated shoe area, NHS hand washing guidelines, covid-19 secure environment in training room, track and trace QR poster for scanning. These will be cleansed at the beginning and end of the training session.

At the end of the training session, students’  be directed by the tutor to leave the room in a staggered manner to maintain social distance. This will begin with the student closest to the exit door to avoid breach of safe distance.

Action points:

–          Adapt current lesson plan for delivery of outstanding tasks and learning outcomes ✓

–          Include additional training on COSHH, Covid-19 as a condition and adaptations for massage practice i.e. client pre-screening, video consultations, H&S, personal risk assessment for practice, regulations around use of PPE, working with clients that have experienced covid-19. ✓

–          Print and laminate signage ✓

–          Develop new lesson plans for delivery for new Holistic Massage Diploma cohorts. ✓

Theory –

Students will remain seated during instruction, demonstrations, Q&A. Note taking is allowed providing pens, paper are not shared and stored in student box, not left lying around.

Time talking will be limited.

Training to be blended with core theory, AP&P and pre face to face material will be delivered via Zoom,  (handouts, videos, power points – currently delivered via e mail, soon to be available on moodle),  discussion in whatsapp group. Face to face time will concentrate on practical skills.

Practical

Live massage demonstrations will be with assistant tutor. Video recorded and shared after training.

During hands on practice, if student needs support, tutor will ask student to ‘mirror’ what they need to door repeat technique with assistant. The aim is to maintain minimum of 1 meter + social distance.

Students will work in bubble throughout course of no more than 3. Students will be matched as far as possible according to factors such as level of social interactions in working environment, level of risk e.g. student health, vulnerable student, living with vulnerable or shielding member of household. NHS and frontline staff, care givers.

Work stations are set up prior to training.

School to provide all PPE and disposal bins. (excluding visor/Goggles  – student to source and maintain for comfort). Tutors and students to don full PPE (Type IIR mask, visor, apron, gloves) for hands on work. Client to wear type II R mask). NB. As professional association guidelines develop re level of PPE adaptations will be made. For example; replacing plastic apron with clean change of clothing, non- gloved hands on work where needed for instance, MFR techniques.

School to provide all equipment needed for massage treatment to reduce risk of cross contamination. Students to maintain equipment while working e.g. sanitise oil bottles, work station, between practice with partners and treatments with clients.

Equipment provided will include; massage table ( sanitized between each treatment),  couch cover, paper roll, dedicated drapes – not to be re used for another or shared, bolsters with water proof covering, pump action hand sanitizer and oil, storage container (for student and client clothing and belongings).

Student giving massage to sanitise table pre and post treatment.

Student receiving massage to set up table (and remove at end of treatment) with personal drapes and bolsters.

Student giving massage for client, e.g. clinic practice, practical exam, to set up and remove drapes.

For clinic practice and practical exams, student numbers in training room will be limited to two (clinic practice) and one (practical exam)

After practical training/treatment and before removal of PPE:

Used laundry to be placed in dedicated soluble laundry bag and placed in black bag (double bagged). Stow in dedicated laundry collection point ( sign posted).

Tutor (wearing face mask), to later wash laundry in soluble bags at 60c and tumble dry. Stored in closed cupboard.

Massage table and props to be sanitized

All PPE except mask ( visor optional), to be placed in dedicated pedal bin. Tutor to double bag at end of day and place in Centre rese bin.

Visors to be wiped with antibac cleanser

Wash hands – in accordance with donning and doffing PPE.

Action plan

–          Launch moodle for students on school website

Theory exams:

Guidelines for theory exam

Pre- exam – students and invigilator submit covid 19 screening form.

Tutor e mails invigilator and students exam protocol to minimize risk of cross infection

Tutor arrives and follows procedure for entering building as previously outlined. Outdoor shoes changed for indoor shoes, clothing does not need to be changed.

Tutor sets up room with sanitized socially distanced work stations wearing PPE (Type IIR mask, gloves and apron).

Chairs and tables sanitized and where needed covered with couch roll.

Invigilator arrives. Enters through door direct into training area. Temperature check. Changes to indoor shoes. Places writing paper, exam paper and student numbers at work stations. Attaches theory exam notices to appropriate areas. Takes seat at socially distanced work station.

When students arrive at venue, they will wait in cars if early or maintain 2 m social distance in car park.

Students arrive wearing face covering. (spare covering will be available for those that forget). Face covering will remain in place through out the entire period indoors. Hand sanitizer is placed at entrance.

Students enter building as/when instructed in staggered order. First to enter is student located furthest away from door.

Change shoes to indoor ones and leave outdoor ones in designated signed area.

Bathroom visit if needed.

Proceed to exam work station and remain here for duration.

Once seated if student needs to leave station, raise hand and gain permission from invigilator.

Bathroom visits are staggered.

Exiting the training room at the end of the exam will be staggered and controlled by the invigilator. Students are not permitted to remove any papers from the training room.

The invigilator will don gloves and gather papers, seal and post to exam assessor.

Invigilator wash hands leave room

Tutor returns to training room wearing PPE for cleaning/tidy up. ( Type IIR mask, gloves, apron)

Waste e.g. paper roll, wipes, placed in pedal bin. Rubbish bagged and placed in Centre refuse bin.  Surfaces and chairs sanitized.

Wash hands

Action plan

–          Create guidelines for invigilators, tutors and students during theory exam ✓

Practical exams: NB – adaptations will be made following guidance from MTI.

Pre practical exam:

Guidelines for practical exam to be e mailed to assessor, client and student.

All to submit a covid 19 screening form 24 hours before the exam via e mail with no identifying elements such as name, address, contact number. These to be completed on receipt via telephone.

Tutor will arrive at the training room and prepare the environment. ( This will include sanitise frequently touched surfaces and equipment to be used. Set out storage boxes for students’ street wear and clients belongings. Set up observation point socially distanced for assessor. Drapes and equipment needed for hands on massage session will be provided as will full PPE for student, type IIR face masks for assessor and client).

A new set of drapes and covers will be provided for each student/client.

Windows will be opened for ventilation.

Signage for shoe area, hand washing protocol near sink, laundry deposit area, pedal bin for used PPE and waste.

A second work station will be set up for the assessor in another ventilated room.

The student will arrive and follow arrival protocol previously outlined. i.e. leave all non essential belongings secure in the car. Wear face covering, sanitise hands at door, replace shoes with indoor shoes on entering, wash hands proceed to work station. Change into work wear, store street clothing in designated box provided. Don full PPE. Sanitise massage table and equipment to be used i.e. face cradle and bolsters, to evidence safe practice.

When client arrives they will wait in their car while the student, assessor and client share a three way video call to carry out the initial consultation. This will minimize contact time.

Assessor then to move from other room to work station in training room.

Client will enter training area wearing face covering and sanitise hands. They will change footwear for indoor shoes, wash hands and proceed to changing area. They will sign consent forms with their own pen. They will place clothing and belongings in a dedicated box. If assistance is needed onto table student will support.

The student will place consent forms in a plastic wallet which can be sanitized.

The student will carry out a hands on treatment of no more than 30 minutes.

At the end of the session the client will dress, wash hands, change shoes and leave the building.

(If able to give aftercare socially distanced this will take place or otherwise over the phone or via e mail. An outline of aftercare with reasoning will be given to the assessor.).

The assessor will return to the assessment room while the student vents the room, puts used towels in dissolvable bag and then in a bin liner and ties secure. These are left in the laundry pick up point. The student sanitises the equipment, doffs PPE apart from face covering and moves to assessor room.

Room is now able to have through ventilation i.e. doors open fully for 15 minutes.

Socially distanced assessor gives feedback.

Student returns to training room, changes into streetwear and secures workwear in bag.

Wash hands, change into outdoor shoes and leave building.

Anticipated time between student assessments will be 1 hour 30 minutes.

Action plan:

–          Create practical exam guidelines for assessors, students and clients. ✓

People with the following health conditions are considered a Covid-19 red flag and may require GP consent to treat ( consider the impact on GPs time in this situation). [Midland School of Massage & Movement students and tutors will always practice hands on work in full PPE unless a pre existing, documented, health condition prevents this.]

Those shielding vulnerable family members, frontline NHS staff, career and those who have been in contact with anyone suffering from Covid 19

Anyone currently receiving treatment for cancer, suffering lung conditions or is post operative

Experiencing post covid 19 circulatory complications (DVT, micro-embolisms, stroke symptoms or pulmonary embolism). This is important consideration as post covid blood coagulation problems can be experienced.

Aged 70 years or above

Pregnant

Heart or respiratory conditions

Suppressed immune systems

Diabetes

BMI over 39

Action plan

–          Include additional training in lesson plans on covid 19 as a condition, effects, contraindications, massage recommendations, aftercare advice ✓

–          Ensure that all students are aware is any concerns check with tutors ✓