COVID-19 photos
COVID-19 HUB
COVID-19 HUB
Infection Prevention & Control (IPC)
Since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic, there have been no confirmed cases or symptoms or deaths due to COVID-19 at Palm Court Nursing Home. After going into Lockdown a week before the national lockdown in March, we were able to put in place effective Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures to safeguard our residents throughout the summer months and into our early Second Lockdown in September.
We have a designated IPC Lead to ensure that our IPC measures continue to be effective and that staff maintain their Infection Control training and adhere to updates in UK Government Guidelines. Staff are tested for COVID-19 every week and residents once a month. All residents are monitored daily with temperature checks in the morning and the evening. Staff also have their temperature taken every shift.
IPC Cleaning schedules are in place and checked. The Manager carries out an Infection Control audit as part of the monthly compliance checks and continues to use the Care Quality Commission's IPC Audit tool.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
All staff at Palm Court are following current national guidelines on wearing PPE and those who are exempt from wearing a face mask are using a face shield instead. Staff have regular hand washing competency checks and frequent hand washing and hand sanitising are encouraged in the home as well as before and after assisting any residents.
Admissions Protocol
To safeguard our residents, any new admissions are accepted only after confirmation of a negative COVID-19 test result. On arrival, all new residents will stay in their rooms for a 14-day isolation period as part of the Home's IPC strategy.
Daily Activities
Cognitive stimulation and person-centred activities are an integral part of the quality of care we give here at Palm Court and that doesn't stop due to the pandemic whether it is in a one-to-one or group setting; or a new member of our Well-Being Community isolating in their rooms as a precaution.
Our Engagement Team ensures that all activities are socially-distanced observing the 2m rule and our Activities Co-Ordinator and Well-Being Co-Ordinator wear the appropriate PPE for the duration of the activity, washing hands and using hand sanitiser in between activities with different residents.
Staying in touch
Palm Court went into an early second Lockdown on Thursday 24th September as a precautionary measure in response to the growing number of daily cases in the UK. We continue to arrange video calls via Zoom/What's app/Face Time with loved ones as well as giving regular updates over the phone.
Residents enjoyed socially distanced garden visits in the later summer months up until we went into the second Lockdown. We are delighted to be able to have the facilities to offer a way for our residents to see their loved ones in person again. Please read more below about our new Visitor Pod.
Palm Court has converted its Hair Salon into a Visitor Pod during the National Lockdown. A clear perspex screen has been installed in the doorway of the Hair Salon, creating a viewing platform into the Post Office, our Reminiscence Room where the Salon is located.
The Visitor Pod will open on Monday 23rd November and we will be offering a Morning Pod between 10:30am and 12pm, and an Afternoon Pod between 2pm and 4pm, with no more than six visits a day. All visits will be 15 minutes long and visitors will need to arrive 5 minutes before their slot begins to register and fill out the questionnaire on the QCS COVID-19 Visitor Tracker using their mobile phones to determine if they can enter the building.
Residents will enter the Post Office from Copper Beech Wing and sit in front of the screen in the doorway of The Visitor Pod where 1 member of staff will be present during the visit. Visitors will enter The Visitor Pod from the street via the back door of the salon. In between the Ambulance Entrance and the Staff Entrance on Prideaux Road, there is a small gate with a separate pathway leading straight to the back door of the salon, which will only be used by Pod Visitors.
Visits need to be booked ahead so that we can create a cleaning schedule to have The Pod, both sides of the screen and the Post Office to be disinfected before and after every visit. Residents who have regular visits will have a COVID-19 test every week and all staff will continue to be tested every week.
Visitors must cancel their booked visits if they feel unwell or if think they have been in contact with someone who has or think they might have COVID-19. Visitors should not travel from any high-risk COVID-19 areas.
If there is a COVID-19 outbreak in the Home, all Pod Visits will be stopped immediately with relatives and friends notified.
To minimise any risk of infection, all visitors must follow our Visitor Pod Protocol before, during and after any visit.
Book Your Pod Visit
All Pod Visits are 15 minutes only, with no more than 6 visits per day.
Morning Pod: 1030am-12pm
Afternoon Pod: 2pm-4pm
Contact Us
Visitor Protocol
All visits are by appointment only and must be booked 1 week in advance
5 named visitors per resident, with a maximum of 2 visitors at a time.
Only visitors over the age of 18 years old allowed.
All pre-booked visits are 15 minutes only.
Time allowance must be respected for cleaning schedules.
Visitor Registration includes a temperature check and a Lateral Flow Test. Visitors must wait for 30 minutes for the results. Visitors may only proceed further into the home with a NEGATIVE result. If the result is positive, the visitor must return home and book a PCR test.
All visitors must wash their hands for 20 seconds when they enter and before leaving, and use hand sanitzer.
Full PPE is provided at the entrance for all visitors to the home including healthcare professionals.
Let us know ahead of your visit if there are any special requests we can help arrange for you - celebrations or any specific activities or games
You can download your own copy here of our Visitor Pod Protocol
and view an example of the
QCS Visitor Tracker
that you can expect to see before entering the Pod.
We thank you for your co-operation and look forward to welcoming you back to Palm Court.