Hope Valley Opticians Corona Virus Covid-19 Update
Updated 23/06/2022
We are carrying out eye examinations as usual. Recent changes to infection control now allow patients to not wear face masks within the practice. Your eyecare professional will still be required to wear a mask if coming in to close contact with eg. during an eye examination or measuring/fitting spectacles. All equipment and frames are still being santized after patient contact. Please do feel free to wear a mask during your visit if this is your preference.
We look forward to seeing you.
Updated 4/11/2020
As essential health care services we can remain open as usual over the next 4 weeks. Please remain assured that we are still carrying out rigorous cleaning, sterilization of our practice and equipment and we wear the required PPE. Appointments are suitably spaced apart to allow for social distancing.
We look forward to seeing you.
Updated 28/8/2020
We are now able to offer routine eye testing to all. Please call the practice if you wish to book an eye examination. We still ask for your patience and cooperation as we are spacing out appointments to allow for cleaning, change of PPE and to ensure that the practice does not become overcrowded, facilitating social distancing. This does mean we have reduced capacity and you may need to book 1-2 weeks in advance.
We request that you use our hand sanitiser on entering the practice and wear a mask or face covering throughout your visit however, your mask can certainly be removed whilst trying on frames.
Please telephone prior to any visit to the practice if you do not already have a prior arranged appointment. Again, this helps us to ensure that the practice does not become overcrowded.
Please do not attend the practice if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- a high temperature of over 37.8 degrees – you feel hot to touch on your chest or back
- a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
- loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal
Check the latest guidance at: www.nhs.uk/coronavirus
Suzanne and myself are still wearing the full amount of PPE recommended by our governing body and rigorous cleaning is conducted between appointments.
We are delighted to still be here as your community Optometrists and are thankful that we can continue offering our high standard of service even through these difficult times. Thank you for your continued understanding and patience.
Stay safe.
Richard and Suzanne
Updated 28/6/2020
Suzanne and I hope you and your families have all stayed safe and well during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We have now been advised by the NHS and our governing body that we can return to routine eye examinations for non-shielding patients. If you therefore require an eye examination then please call the practice to book an appointment.
We are adopting an appointment only system for all visits to our practice to ensure social distancing and avoid overcrowding and so we would still ask you to call in advance of attendance. This also allows us to clean and disenfect inbetween appointments.
If you do not feel safe to leave your home then please do not worry, we can postpone your eye examination however, if you have any concerns with your eyes or vision then please call the practice and speak to Suzanne or myself.
We look forward to seeing you!
Richard
Updated 25/4/2020
Updated 9/4/2020
We can now receive your query by email at home. Please remember to include your name and telephone number in your email so we can call you if necessary. You may also leave a telephone message at the practice and we will get back to you as soon as possible. We will be in practice Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Please call or email to arrange a mutually convenient appointment time if required. Thank you.
Updated 30/03/2020
Updated 26/03/2020
Our latest guidance states that we can not see patients face to face at this time as we are not provided with appropriate personal protective equipment. However, we can discuss any issues that you may have by telephone, whether that be, concerns with any eye problem, your contact lenses or repairs to your glasses.
We can give advice and will contact an Ophthalmologist if necessary, who may wish to speak to you by telephone also. Please call an optician within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms. Any patient with COVID-19 infection or symptoms of COVID-19 infection should call the NHS 111 service. The Royal Hallamshire Hospital Walk-in Emergency Eye Clinic is open Monday-Friday 8.30am-4.30pm.
If for any reason you are not able to arrange an emergency appointment with ourselves or your symptoms begin on a day when we are closed then please click on the following link to direct you to a list of local Optician practices who may be able to give you advice.
If you require any urgent repair to your glasses then please telephone us in advance /and you can drop them by our practice (we will collect them from the practice door, please do not enter the practice,) or we could collect them from you if local.
We are still receiving your contact lenses and spectacles that have been ordered. You can still order your contact lenses with us over the telephone. We are doing our best to get these personally delivered out to you as soon as possible, with prior arrangement, by car, bicycle or on foot. We may post them out to you if personal delivery is not possible.
Please telephone the practice with any queries you may have and we will endeavour to answer your call if we are immediately available, or get back to you as soon as we are back in practice.
Take care.
Richard and Suzanne
Updated 24/03/2020
Firstly, may Suzanne and I wish you all well in these unprecedented times.
We are taking the potential spread of the virus very seriously and have been ensuring that all equipment and surfaces have been sterilized in-between patients and all staff adhere to correct hand washing procedures.
As social /distancing is essential, we have now been advised by our governing body to cease all non-urgent eye examinations. We would kindly ask you to postpone any non-urgent appointments until the threat has lifted. We feel this will help to protect yourselves, staff and play our part in reducing the spread of the virus.
If you require an urgent eye examination then please call the practice to book an appointment. If you have a confirmed case, or highly suspect you are infected with COVID-19 and are experiencing new eye symptoms, then please call the NHS 111 service.
A Minor Eye Condition Service (MECS) has been in place for a short while now allowing us to examine patients who have recent eye symptoms e.g. new flashing lights or floaters in the vision, red painful eye with or without blurred vision or discharge. This is a service funded by the NHS for any patient who is registered with a Derbyshire GP. If you are concerned with any new symptom then please call the practice and myself or Suzanne can call you back to discuss this with you. Please call an optician within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms.
The current situation is fluid and changing rapidly however, our plan is to reduce opening hours to Monday, Wednesday and Friday, opening hours 9.00-5.30pm. This will be put into place from the 30th March 2020. Again, this helps to reduce spread meanwhile ensuring we are still available to offer emergency appointments and discuss any issues you may have via the telephone. We would ask for your patience at this time as we could possibly have reduced staff numbers and may not always be able to take your telephone call immediately. In this case please leave an answer phone message stating your full name and telephone number and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
If for any reason you are not able to arrange an emergency appointment with ourselves or your symptoms begin on a day when we are closed then please click on the following link to direct you to a list of local practices offering minor eye condition services.
We hope to see you all soon when the situation has blown over and we shall then resume normal practice.
Kind regards
Richard Goodall