COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions

[Roger Moore]

Dear all

This Forum thread has been started for members to ask questions and seek information. I hope that it will be a valuable resource and provide clarity to any questions that you may have.

Please also be mindful that your Trusts and organisations will be publishing their own guidance on the current situation and in all likelihood will have a FAQ resource which we woudl encourage you to also use. In addition many others information sources should be consulted such as GOV.UK, PHE, NHS 111 online and other agencies.

ART are currently contributing to weekly teleconference calls that are organised and managed jointly by the British Renal Society and Renal Association (BRS/RA). The BRS/RA will maintain communication to renal units and services through Clinical Directors. ART will shortly be adding a link from the ART website to the RA website where there will be a specific COVID-19 page which will be updated as the situation changes.

Please be mindful that if you are answering a question posted to this thread that the information you post must be factually correct and accurate.

ART wish you, your families, friends and loved ones well during these challenging times.

[Ian Wilde]

Hi Roger,

We have a mad scramble here for single patient RO units to be installed in placed that have never seen a dialysis session before.  It's almost as though people think you have an entire dialysis unit's worth of equipment mothballed ready for such an event.

The most popular question I have been asked so far is:

"Do we need to isolate the machine?"

My own personal interpretation is that unless there is some kind of blood spillage that requires a technical disassembly of a component then the machine should be cleaned in line with your local policy for dealing with HCV, CPE etc...

We can't possibly isolate so many machines so i hope a degree of common sense will prevail!?

Does anyone else have any thoughts on the question?

[SteveF]

Hi,

I have been asked  the same question about isolation  Ian.  Any advice welcome, though I would think its the usual wipe down with Actichlor and back into circulation? . Like you say isolating machines will be a nightmare!

regards,
Steve

[Ian Wilde]

Another scenario:

You have a home patient who is self isolating - their machine goes faulty - have you got the necessary protection?

[Roger Moore]

Hi all

On the first subject of machine isolation I am unaware of any specific guideance at this moment in time. I would suggest raising this issue with your Clinical Director, keep up to date with the Renal Association website and take a look at this link for useful resources; https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-infection-prevention-and-control.

On the second subject of self-isolating home patients again I would suggest following the points above and in addition (through the correct communication channels for your respective organisations) seek the advice of your local Infection Prevention team and possibly community nursing teams who will be faced with home visits for self-isolating patients and the requirements for PPE.

[Garry]

Nothing more than a standard clean/disinfect here and currently no dedicated equipment required.