Exemplar Health Care and the UK Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

As Coronavirus (COVID-19) becomes more widespread, we want to assure you that the safety of our residents, colleagues and visitors is our number one priority.

As experts in specialist care for those with complex needs, our service users fall into the higher risk category within the general population, and we are therefore taking every possible step to minimise the risk to them and our colleagues.

We’ve implemented a number of precautionary measures, some of which are shared below, and are closely monitoring the situation and following the Government’s guidelines and advice.

We’re in the process of building a page on our website that we’ll update with the latest developments. There is also a Coronavirus Information Board in each home which shares the latest updates and news.

If you have any questions or concerns about Coronavirus, please contact your home manager in the first instance, or email us (Monday to Friday 09.00-17.00). 

Visits

We are asking for your help in having no visitors, except healthcare professionals, into our homes without prior agreement from the home manager, which will be assessed on a case by case basis.

We appreciate that this might be difficult for many of our residents and their family and friends, and we will continue to work with them to ensure that they can keep in regular contact. Wifi is available in all of our homes and new iPads are being rolled out so that people can keep in touch via video calls.

Anyone entering an Exemplar Health Care building must complete a screening questionnaire and wash and dry their hands before entry. We will not allow entry to anyone who is displaying the symptoms of the virus, has a temperature of above 37.8 or has recently travelled to a category one country.

Infection control

We have put measures in place to ensure that all colleagues have received up-to-date training about infection prevention and control, and specific training about Coronavirus. This includes an awareness of the necessary precautions to help prevent the spread of the infection, such as regular hand washing and covering coughs or sneezes with a tissue.

Our homes have also increased their daily cleaning schedules and we’re providing extra supplies of cleaning products, to ensure that everyone living and working in our homes stays well.

Staffing

We have set out a contingency plan should our staffing levels be affected by the virus.

We are confident that we have plenty of resources to ensure that our service users can continue to receive the care that they need, should staff be absent from work due to Coronavirus.

We have a large reliable team of bank and agency staff, as well as non-direct care and central team colleagues, who are in place to support our homes if needed.

Further information

Each of our home managers is in regular contact with their local IPC team and we’re checking Government guidance daily and cascading any updates. 

If you have any questions or concerns about Coronavirus, please contact your home manager in the first instance, or email us (Monday to Friday 09.00-17.00).