Coronavirus (Covid-19) Update

I am sure you will all be aware of the measures introduced by the UK government this week. Obviously, as a medical professional, I have a duty of care to my patients and ensuring their safety is of paramount importance.

Here at Dolphin Psychotherapy Practice, we will continue with business as usual, however, until further notice ALL future consultations will be conducted via telephone or webcam (Skype, Whatsapp, Viber and FB Messenger). Please be assured that the effectiveness of your treatment will not be diminished in any way by this decision as it is only my voice and knowledge that are of importance and I have successfully treated patients worldwide in this way for over a decade.

I look forward to being of service and continued support to you all, throughout these challenging times.

Warmly,

Mr T. Roberts

 

There can be no doubt that the country and indeed the world is in the grip of fear and a sense of doom over the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, now declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation.

However, it is important for your mental health to keep this in perspective and therefore this publication is firstly to appeal for calm and secondly to set our practice’s policy to contribute to the health and safety of all.

As of today (14^th March 2020) there are 798 confirmed cases of infection (source BBC). 11 of those have resulted in fatalities. The population of the UK is 66.44 million!

As such, as of today, you have statistically little more chance of dying from Coronavirus (COVID-19) than winning the lottery.

I am not saying that the illness does not have the potential for exponential growth in terms of infection but it is important to keep things in perspective.

In China where this began, the diagnosis of new cases on a daily basis has tailed off very significantly already. This is not (any time soon at least) Spanish Flu (1918 Pandemic)

Bulk buying toilet rolls and aspirin are unlikely to be of any practical help!

The current levels of concern seem to have been stimulated significantly by the media and whilst I fully appreciate the seriousness (or more accurately the potential seriousness) of the situation, panic will resolve nothing!

It is, unfortunately, the nature of most humans to almost “enjoy” a good panic in the same way most enjoy a good scare from a thriller or horror movie. In recent times we have had “panics” over Bird Flu, S.A.R.S. Brexit and now Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Am I suggesting you should not take sensible precautions, no, not at all, I am simply suggesting that for the moment at least follow the latest Government/NHS guidelines on regular hand washing etc and avoid blowing matters out of proportion. To quote from the Apollo 13 crisis “Let's work the problem people and not make things worse by guessing” (Gene Kranz, Flight Director).

It would also be prudent to follow government guidelines in terms of self-isolating and seeking medical advice should you develop any influenza type symptoms but do remember however serious this outbreak becomes, people will also contract common colds, so do not assume the worst!

Temporary Measures

If and when the outbreak of Coranvirus in the UK can be considered a clear and present danger, we will as a practice begin a full lockdown on face to face contact but will still operate via webcam and telephone consultations only, until the World Health Organisation or government give the all-clear. Until such time we will be operating business as usual.