As a supplier to the care home sector our world is very much focused on helping our clients through the ever-changing landscape of PPE usage, new sanitisation requirements and coping with Covid-19 outbreaks amongst care users and their staff.
As we practice social distancing and implement measures to support our customers new ways of working, this is fast becoming normal and has got us wondering – can we ever imagine not being fearful of an airborne and touch-spread virus?
Our industry is always focused on hygiene and our products follow all regulations however this pandemic has opened up the question of cleanliness and has more people considering safe practice, and what that would involve. On a human note, how will we ever feel like our environment is clean again? Will we think twice before touching a door handle, toilet handle, armrest, window, push plate, coffee cup, packaged sandwich or trolley again without wanting to sanitise before or after? Will we forever be singing happy birthday twice whilst washing our hands?.
From a health and safety viewpoint how robustly will companies and organisations have to reassure their returning and new staff that their work environment is safe and sanitised? The usual cleaning and hygiene routines, as thorough as we felt they were pre COVID-19, may simply do not cut it in our new virus-focused landscape.
Our clients’ businesses rely on their customers trust and as families consider which care home to choose for their relative going forward, what will they be expecting? Will they want to see proof of sanitisation procedures as readily as they assess care standard ratings? Will the new mindset of people have an influence over where they feel it is safe to place their loved ones?
On a wider scale out-side of care homes, will new norms of infection control become part of all places of work? Will previously unheard of general-use products such as air sterilisation cannisters (fogging) become common place to reassure rail/bus/tube/air travellers that carriages are safe to use? Will the same air sterilisation plug-in versions be used in every open plan space to de-risk office working and public use spaces? Will all employers have to not only issue personal space and communal space sanitisation products as standard, but will infection-fear have to be taken into psychological risk assessments and home working be a reasonable request hence forward?.
The global pandemic has created many questions, not just for the care home industry but for everyone and our team are thinking about what the future may hold so we can be prepared for it, so we can be well placed to help our clients receive the excellent levels of service they are used to receiving from us. Our clients remain our priority and as we all adapt to the new normal, we encourage your thoughts and feedback as to how you anticipate the post Covid-19 world to be.
For now Andway live in a world of government and CQC guideline adherence and talk of relaxing lockdown is irrelevant to those working on the front line, but at some point employers and employees, users and providers will all need real discussion and agreement on what our new ‘safe’ may look like.