Welcome to THE CNHC September news Update
As the industry gets used to the new normal – no hugs or handshakes when greeting clients, close contact therapists overcoming the challenges of communicating with faces partially obscured and smiles hidden behind masks, it’s more important than ever to find ways of establishing a human connection.
Part 2 of our series of articles on rebuilding your business after lockdown looks at enhancing the client experience and ensuring your clients feel cared for and supported when they come to see you – which I’m sure you’ll agree is the ultimate aim of all complementary therapists.
It is very timely that 1 October sees the launch of National Massage Day and Pro-Touch Awareness Month, which this year focuses on how we can touch the lives of others when physical touch is no longer possible.
As the COVID-19 infection rate rises again and restrictions are increased, we will no doubt see an impact on mental health. Complementary therapies have an important part to play in supporting the public’s mental and physical wellbeing by aiding relaxation, reducing stress and anxiety, and providing pain relief.
CNHC is the only independent Accredited Register for complementary healthcare set up with the support of government. We exist solely to protect the public. If you are reading this newsUpdate and are not yet a Registrant, we would urge you to join us. I’m sure you are already committed to caring for your clients. But by going that extra mile and coming together with others in the sector to Stand Up for Standards, you can help gain the acceptance of the wider benefits to the nation’s health and wellbeing that complementary healthcare can make and build public confidence in safety and standards of care.
Michael Watson
CNHC Chair
Coronavirus (COVID-19) update
NHS COVID-19 app: NHS QR code and poster for close contact services in England and Wales
The NHS COVID-19 Test and Trace app launched on 24 September 2020 for England and Wales. A NHS QR code and official NHS poster are available.
CNHC Registrants in England who provide close contact services (ie practise ‘hands-on’), including mobile therapists, must register for an official NHS QR code and display the official NHS QR poster.
Covid-19: Frequently Asked Question
Each month we will answer a question raised by Registrants:
Q: What is Test and Trace and what does it mean for CNHC Registrants?
A: Test and Trace is the name given to the system used to try to stop the spread of the coronavirus. The first part of the system involves anyone who develops symptoms self-isolating and getting a coronavirus test. If that person tests positive, the next part of the system involves the NHS Test and Trace system contacting anyone who has been in close contact with that person recently so they can be told to self-isolate.
This is why we are all being asked to provide our contact details when we go into indoor spaces such as restaurants and cafes. It is also why, as providers of indoor services and in many cases ‘close contact services’, CNHC Registrants are required to collect and retain the contact details of clients for 21 days. In England, Scotland and Wales this is now a legal requirement.
If you are contacted by NHS Test and Trace about a client who has come to your premises who has tested positive, you will need to provide the contact details of anyone who may be at risk of infection. The NHS Test and Trace team will guide you through this. Anyone affected will then be contacted by the NHS Test and Trace system. If someone has downloaded the NHS COVID-19 app in England and Wales they will be notified through the app directly and told to self-isolate if they might be at risk of infection. In Northern Ireland and Scotland they will be contacted by telephone or other ‘manual’ approach such as email. You do not need to contact clients yourself if this happens.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) recommends you check the relevant guidance for your area and suggests that the level of information collected for this purpose is:
- The name of the person
- A contact telephone number
- The date and time they were on your premises.
- You can see the ICO’s full guidance about how to manage collecting information for Test and Trace here.
For further details of how Test and Trace works in your area visit:
England Test and Trace
Northern Ireland Testing and Contact Tracing
Scotland Test and Protect
Wales Test, Trace, Protect
Re-building your business: Part 2 – Create a rave review-worthy client experience
In the second of a series of articles, CNHC Registrant and massage therapist Katherine Creighton Crook offers some tips on rebuilding your business on reopening after lockdown. Step 2 looks at how to improve your client experience.
SEISS: Deadline to apply for the second grant
The deadline to make a claim for the second grant in the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) is 19 October 2020.
If you were eligible for the first grant in the scheme and can confirm to HMRC that your business has been adversely affected on or after 14 July 2020, you can make your claim for the second grant.
