Sep 24, 2020
Sorry for the slightly delayed blog but I thought I should wait and see what was happening in the country before sending this newsletter out.
Let’s get the technical bits out of the way first. As you may be aware, it is now mandatory for certain business to display a track and trace QR code. Premises/businesses that must comply with this are: all hospitality venues; tourism centres; local authority facilities (community halls, libraries); and close contact services namely dental practices, hairdressers, barbers, beauticians etc.
Each business has to create a QR code with their business details and the requirement is for clients to scan it using the NHS Covid 19 app (downloadable free from the apple or google play store). This logs your date and time of entry to the business. My understanding is that the app runs in the background waking up when it senses another phone with the app coming into range. It will then use bluetooth every 15 seconds to measure how far away the other person is from you and the length of time this contact lasts. This data is used to build up a points score of how many times and how long someone has interacted with another person over the course of a day. Devices that come into close contact to you are logged for 28 days.
If a person subsequently tests positive for Covid 19 they enter this on the app which will ping the recorded contacted to a server to find out who has been in contact with the individual. Should the system determine a person as a close contact , they will be sent a notification asking them to self isolate for 14 days. The recipient of this notification is not told who has triggered this notification. If you receive an alert, even if you have no symptoms or later receive a negative test result, you must still isolate for 14 days.
So what we are requesting is that you download the app and scan the code when you arrive at the Gentle Dental practice in Salisbury. You don't need to download a QR code reader - it is all done through the app. Don't worry if you haven't got a smart phone. We will log your details manually within the practice and delete them after 21 days if NHS track and trace have not requested them.
You can read more about this on the .nhs link if you would like to find out more.
The app gives a risk level for your post code and Salisbury is currently amber risk. We have spent time rereading our guidelines and are please to say we comply with all the requirements for amber risk and currently can continue to see you for your appointments as planned/booked. We will be closely monitoring the situation and advice, and will of course let you know immediately should anything alter.
On a lighter note we promised a bit more of an introduction to some of the team members you will meet when you attend.
For so many of you Patricia needs no introduction. The practice opened in 2004 and Patricia worked with us from Feb 2006 until February 2017 when she retired to spend time with her husband Alan and her dogs. Alan sadly passed away in May 2019 and Patricia has started back with us part time. Any of you who remember Patricia first time around will recall that apart from Alan the great love of her life was, and still is, her dogs, Bertie, Maisy and Dolly.
Equal on her radar are her two lovely grandchildren, Ashton and Rose who have continued the love of dogs with a gorgeous puppy of their own, Carlos.
Jodie first came to our attention when she did work experience back in 2013. Sadly, we did not have a position when she finished school and started in dental nursing but she has found her way back to us now and has been with us for around 12 months, working on reception. Jodie works part time so you may not have come across her as yet. Jodie has a 2 year old daughter Maisie who has just started nursery and certainly keeps her buys when she is not at work. Over the last year Jodie has found some new loves in her life namely exercise and cooking. During lockdown she learned to cook from scratch which she has really been enjoying and experimenting with new flavours and new foods.
An update on our Lockdown gardening project- we are nearly there and hope to share pics with you next time.
Keep well and safe
Rob Niamh and the Gentle Dental Team