COVID-19 & ENT: how we comply with the latest best practice

Like all medical professionals, it is important to be doing all we can to protect both patients and our staff from the spread of COVID-19 / Coronavirus.

We'd like to reassure all patients we are following best practice and taking steps to minimise risk to patients and staff. We are 100% compliant with the guidance currently being provided by ENT UK as follows:

• Making sure endoscopy is absolutely necessary for management of the patient.

• Where appropriate, using topical decongestant and local anaesthetic to reduce chance of droplet spread from sneezing or coughing.

• Using a separate pair of gloves for each patient. The same applies to accompanying nurse. Gloves have to be appropriate to allow palpation, use of switches and fine controls (some of the polythene gloves are not suitable).

• Wearing a face mask with visor, as the eye is an important point of entry for viral infection.

• Ensuring endoscopy is carried out by video monitoring if possible, rather than direct viewing through eyepiece.

You can find out more about the guidance being provided by ENT UK here. You can be assured we are following the wider Guidance for ENT during the COVID-19 pandemic being currently being recommended by the Department of Health. See the ENT UK website for more details.

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