Here at MAC Clinical Research we understand the anxieties that come with the news of a second national lockdown and we also want things to go back to normal as soon as they can. We are continuing to uphold the best practices of COVID-19 safety measures and welcome patients into the clinic.
Our clinics have remained, and still remain, open during the pandemic, highlighting the importance of our ‘essential service’ status in continuing to deliver expert care for patients enrolled in clinical trials.
After months of refining our safety measures, we are confident that the benefits of taking part in one of our clinical trials will outweigh the risks. We are proceeding with our strict following of the guidance from the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority), the EMA (European Medical Agency) and the NIHR (National Institute for Health Research).
The safety measures you will expect at our clinics:
- Reduced footfall at our clinical sites. Many staff will continue to work from home and face-to-face patient visits will be minimised by doing as many visits as possible by phone or video conferencing.
- Patients will be encouraged to travel to the clinics in their own car, or we will arrange and pay for transport in one of our approved taxi services. Travel by public transport is discouraged.
- Screening everyone (including our staff) before they come into our sites for symptoms of COVID-19 and checking their temperature. This will be done via phone call the day before your visit, and again when you arrive in reception.
- Lots of cleaning and sanitising activities between patient visits! We are always stringent in our infection control policies, but ever more so now.
- Our waiting, reception (and recreation areas for residential studies) will remain closed to discourage close contact. You will have all visit procedures completed in one private room or area which you will be escorted to on arrival at the clinic. Refreshments or meals will be brought to you during your visit and our ‘help yourself’ drinks stations will remain closed for now.
- Our toilet and residential bathroom facilities are open, but access restricted to one person at a time in multiple cubicle bathrooms.
- There will be various signs, floor markings and hand sanitising stations to help you navigate and keep safe.
- Staff will be wearing approved levels of PPE, including gloves, aprons, and masks (and visors if needing to do a closer than 1 metre examination or procedure).
- You will be asked to wear your own face covering during the visit, or we can provide you with one if you prefer.
- We are asking everyone who attends our sites to abide by current social distancing rules.
We will continue to notify you with further information and updates following government guidance via our social media channels and website. Those who have registered their interest in one of our trials will be contacted directly if anything should change regarding the trial. If you require any further information, get in touch on our freephone 0800 633 5507.
