This resource published by the RCGP provides helpful guidance to general practice staff about home visits during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Download Guidance on home visits during the Coronavirus pandemic
The recommendations in the approach to home visits include:
- triage all home visit requests
- minimise contact with anyone in the house
- plan to avoid contamination
The guidance provides the following recommendations to the home visits process.
Leave practice
- Collect the designated protective, clinical and cleaning equipment and waste bags
- Consider whether alternative clothing is needed
Arrive at property
- Don PPE: apron, mask, eye protection, double gloves
- Leave waste container by exit of property
Enter property
- Only enter if necessary – ‘eyeballing’ the patient may be all that is needed Other household members should ideally remain in a separate room
Leave property
- Doff PPE: outer gloves, apron, eye protection, mask and place single use items into white plastic bag
- Clean equipment and place wipes and inner gloves into the same bag
- Alcohol gel hands and bare arms before entering the car
Return to practice
- Wipe down steering column, gear stick and door handles
- Return to practice via agreed entrance and place white bag in designated orange clinical waste bin
- Wash hands/arms thoroughly, consider changing into alternative clothing, with visit clothing bagged up prior to washing
