Coronavirus (COVID-19) FAQ’s
We’ve put together these FAQ’s to support you and answer some of the questions you may have.
Don't see an answer to your question? Don't worry! Our team are on-hand 24/7 to answer any query you may have.
When should I self-isolate?
Following government and NHS advice you should self-isolate if you or anyone you have been in recent close contact with is experience the following symptoms:
- a high temperature (37.8 degrees or higher) – you feel hot to touch on your chest or back
- a new, continuous cough – this means you've started coughing repeatedly
You must self-isolate for 7 days if you live alone. If you live with other people, the household should stay at home for 14 days from the day the first person got symptoms.
If you live with someone who is 70 or over, has a long-term condition, is pregnant or has a weakened immune system, try to find somewhere else for them to stay for 14 days. This will help to protect others while you are infectious.
What should I do I if the client I care for is showing symptoms or one of their family members is?
Each client has a care plan that you should refer to for guidance in all aspects of their care. However, if your client has symptoms of Coronavirus, then their GP should be contacted via phone immediately. The advice given from the GP should be passed onto the family and/or parents as well as the Pulse Nursing at Home team – the Clinical Lead for your client will then direct all care to be given.
If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact the care coordination team, who are available 24/7 to support you on 0345 120 5310.
Will I still be paid on time?
Yes, we are continuing to run our payroll service as normal and all pay dates and timesheet submission deadlines still apply. Please continue to email your timesheets to your usual payroll email address.
How do I contact the team if I can’t get through as normal?
Please be assured that our care coordination team is working and normal and operating as 24/7 service for any of your immediate questions or concerns in relation to the health of yourself or your client.
For our other teams, including recruitment and compliance, we have made some changes to our telephone operating systems due to our office-based teams working from home. If you call us and are answered by a voicemail service, please leave us a message on the voicemail service or send us an email to askus@thornburycommunityservices.co.uk; and we will contact you in response as soon as possible.
To enable our home working we have our teams using additional phone lines to contact you. If you receive a call from a number you don’t recognise (this may include withheld or no caller ID), please do not be alarmed as it will likely be our care coordination team trying to contact you.
If I am well and able to work, how should I update my availability for shifts?
In light of current circumstances, there has never been a greater need for more simple and flexible ways of working. Our new and improved ipoint app makes managing your work life as easy as possible. Everything you need is in one place including your availability calendar, booked and worked shifts.
We would greatly appreciate if you can update your availability using the ipoint app as regularly as you possibly care. This will ensure we are able to supply you with the relevant shifts you are able to work.
You can view the app in Apple App Store, or Android Google Play.
I need to submit updated documents to get compliant. What should I do?
We want to be as flexible as possible to support you during this time. If we have requested you to send in original documentation in order to get your file compliant, please now send those to us using a scan or photo as evidence. You can use document scanning apps such as Genius Scan or Tiny Scanner – please ensure the whole document is in the scan or image and is clear and legible in its entirety.
Please do not continue to post any documentation to our offices as we will not be frequently accessing our post.
If you have already sent documentation to us, do not worry we will confirm receipt and post back to you as soon as possible.
If you have any further questions in relation to documentation please contact us at compliance@thornburycommunityservices.co.uk
How will you ensure I have the PPE I need?
We are currently taking Public Health England advice and are only supplying routine PPE to all clients and staff.
We get this information from the following resource:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-residential-care-supported-living-and-home-care-guidance/covid-19-guidance-on-home-care-provision#steps-for-home-care-providers-to-maintain-delivery-of-care
We are consistently monitoring the status regarding PPE and any updates to this information. We will communicate any changes in this to you as soon as they happen.
What should I do if I have any other questions?
If your question requires urgent attention and relates to the health of you or your client, please contact the care coordination team immediately on 0345 120 5310.
Otherwise if you have any other questions not covered in this information, please do not hesitate to contact us at: askus@thornburycommunityservices.co.uk and we will respond to you as soon as is possible.
Finally, we want to take this opportunity to once again thank you for your support. We would not be able to get through this challenging time without the continued dedication you have shown to the clients you care for. We are truly grateful. Please continue to contact us with any questions you have. Stay safe and take care, we are stronger together and together we shall stay ♥