18 March 2020

Dear Patient,

During this uncertain time, VisionCare Optometry and VisionCare Development are taking the situation regarding Coronavirus very seriously.

We are complying with Government guidelines and making decisions prioritising our community’s safety and wellbeing. As always, our mission is to provide a safe and clean environment for your eye care and vision development. We remain well informed about the developing Covid-19 situation and are complying with advice from the Government, Department of Health and the World Health Organisation. We are amending any in-practice policies along with Government and NHS recommendations. We are in daily contact with all our team members and continue to be stringent around hygiene regimes.

We have also increased the regularity of cleaning in-practice, particularly for those areas frequently touched by our team members, patients and customers (door handles, seats, spectacle frames etc.).

In addition to our preventative measures, we also ask that you assist by adhering to the guidelines below:

We ask that everyone:

• Please use anti-bacterial hand gel when entering our premises. We have some in the waiting areas for your use.

• Please wash your hands when using our toilet facilities.

• To help minimise the spread of the virus, we are asking any team member or client with flu-like symptoms, or those who have been in close personal contact with someone who has contracted the virus, to self-isolate for fourteen days.

• As a matter of reassurance, please obtain clearance before returning to work or attending VisionCare to keep us all Coronavirus free so that we can get back to normal as soon as possible

• Feel free to bring your own anti-bacterial gel with you. We will not be offended!

There are some changes to our Terms and Conditions and we will continue to review these as the situation develops:

1. Effective Monday 16th March – the 24-hour late cancellation policy will cease until Wednesday 15th April and will be reviewed then.

2. We are also temporarily recommending no hands-on therapy assists in any setting.

Our patient community matters

Remaining fit and healthy is vitally important for all. This includes diet, movement, hydration (regular sips of water – we have a water dispenser in Acomb), good sleep and vitamins. While we can encourage our vision care community stay fit and healthy in person, we will do so.

To improve our communication to you, we would advise opting-in to our email newsletters via your MySight account via the VisionCare Optometry website and updating your communications preferences. Thank you for your continued support.

We look forward to continuing to care for your vision. Stay safe and well, from everyone at VisionCare Optometry and VisionCare Development.

Ruth Perrott BSc FCOptom