How to get in touch

All Fuchsia Homecare Offices remain open and can continue to be contacted on relevant office numbers and emails. Please click this link and  find your closest office.

Fuchsia Homecare COVID-19 Statement

Fuchsia Homecare is keeping fully abreast of developments relating to the continued spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) across the UK . We are routinely monitoring developments, reviewing our protocols, and preparing appropriate responses as the situation evolves. Fuchsia Homecare is committed to ensuring all steps are taken to protect the health and wellbeing of all our colleagues and customers.

Fuchsia Homecare continues to work closely with Health Authorities, UKHCA and Care Regulators in order to protect colleagues and customers and maintain service delivery. Every Fuchsia Homecare office is keeping their Business Continuity Plans under review in preparation for a possible escalation of the outbreak.

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Fuchsia Homecare  recognises that the WHO has declared COVID-19 can be characterised as a pandemic on 11 March 2020. Fuchsia Homecare  however, will ensure that it reviews the Pandemic Policy and Procedure and will complete the checklist to ensure that the business is prepared and that robust business continuity plans are in place.

Reducing the Risk of Contracting or Spreading the Virus

Fuchsia Homecare  will ensure that staff, when not at work, follow the WHO and Public Health England advice to reduce the risk of contracting the virus and the risk of spreading it. They must also support Custo mers to follow the government requirements and remind them that failure to follow this can result in a fine. The following procedures must be followed;

You can only leave your home:

  • To shop for basic essentials – only when you really need to

  • To do one form of exercise a day – such as a run, walk or cycle, alone or with other people you live with

  • For any medical need – for example, to visit a pharmacy, deliver essential supplies or as part of an agreed care plan (refer to Coronavirus FAQs point 15)

  • To travel to and from work – but only where this is absolutely necessary Further measures:

  • Wash your hands regularly and properly for at least 20 seconds (2 verses of Happy Birthday) by using soap and running water

  • Use hand sanitiser when it is not possible to wash hands with soap and water. Hand sanitiser must contain 60% alcohol to be effective

  • Maintain at least 2 metres (6 foot) distance between yourself and anyone. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person coughing has the disease

  • Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth. Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and can make you sick

  • Practice respiratory hygiene. Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you do not have a tissue, use your sleeve. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately and wash your hands, or use hand sanitiser if you do not have immediate access to soap and running water. Droplets spread virus. By following good respiratory hygiene you protect the people around you from viruses such as cold, flu and COVID-19

lIf you have a fever (37.8 degrees, a new/persistent cough) you must self isolate for 7 days. The NHS advice must be followed below;

  • If you have symptoms of coronavirus infection (COVID-19), however mild, stay at home and do not leave your house for 7 days from when your symptoms started

  • If you live with someone who has symptoms, you will need to stay at home for 14 days from the day their symptoms started. This is because it can take 14 days for symptoms to appear

  • If more than one person at home has symptoms, stay at home for 14 days from the day the first person started having symptoms

  • If you get symptoms, stay at home for 7 days from when your symptoms start, even if it means you are at home for longer than 14 days

  • If you do not get symptoms, you can stop staying at home after 14 days

Social Distancing

Follow the Governments requirements dated March 23rd 2020 for 3 weeks. Everyone must comply with these requirements

Handwashing

Staff should wash their hands:

  • Before leaving home

  • On arrival at work

  • After using the toilet

  • After touching pets

  • After breaks and sporting activities

  • Before food preparation

  • After using public transport

  • Before eating any food, including snacks

  • Before leaving work

  • On arrival at home

Confidentiality

Fuchsia Homecare  will follow confidentiality and GDPR policies and procedures to ensure that the details of staff involved in caring for Customers with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 is kept

confidential. Employees should also respect each other’s confidentially and take care not to inadvertently share information when using social media.

Where staff are suspected or confirmed to have contracted COVID-19, their personal details should be treated as confidential, as they would be for any other Fuchsia Homecare  Customer.

Safe Staffing

In the event of an outbreak of COVID-19, where staff are moved from other areas to support work on COVID-19, assessments should be made on the ability to continue to deliver safe and effective care in the services affected. Steps should be taken to mitigate any risks resulting from staff moving to other areas. Fuchsia Homecare  will, as part of pandemic preparedness, assess whether any staff need additional training, support or require a DBS check.

Reducing the Risk of Stigmatization

Stigma occurs when people negatively associate an infectious disease, such as COVID-19, with a specific population. In the case of COVID-19, there are an increasing number of reports of public stigmatization against people from areas affected by the epidemic, this means that people are being labelled,  stereotyped, separated, and/or experience loss of status and discrimination because of a potential   negative affiliation with the disease. Fuchsia Homecare  will ensure that staff understand the importance of preventing and addressing social stigma by making sure facts are available to staff and Customers.

Actions if a Customer Meets the Criteria and Displays Symptoms

If the Customer receiving care and support has symptoms of COVID-19, then the risk of transmission should be minimised through safe working procedures, as detailed below.

Personal Protective Equipment

Care Workers should use personal protective equipment (PPE) for activities that bring them into close personal contact, such as washing and bathing, personal hygiene and contact with bodily fluids.

Aprons, gloves and fluid-resistant (Type IIR) surgical masks should be used in these situations. If there is a risk of splashing, then eye protection will minimise the risk.

New personal protective equipment must be used for each episode of care. It is essential that personal protective equipment is stored securely within disposable rubbish bags. These bags must be placed into another bag, tied securely and kept separate from other waste. They should be put aside for at least 72 hours before being put in the usual household waste bin.

For further information refer to the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Policy and Procedure at Fuchsia Homecare .

Useful links for 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.