A copy of this notice can be downloaded here.

From 11.59 pm 7 September 2021 the entire country except Auckland will move to Alert Level 2.

Here we provide advice about the services the SCIP will be providing at Alert Level 2.

These guidelines are in accordance with government mandated requirements; they are designed to help keep you and our staff safe.

Both clinics (Christchurch and Lower Hutt) will re-open

The situation may change and we will post notices on our website (www.scip.co.nz) and Facebook page if this advice changes. We will also send updates via email if we have these available for people.
If you have any questions about how these changes may affect your cochlear implant care, these can be forwarded to our Christchurch or Lower Hutt office, through one of these channels;

Christchurch
Email: reception@scip.co.nz
Text: 027 355 3041
Website: scip.co.nz/contact

Lower Hutt
Email: scip.wellington@scip.co.nz
Text: 027 589 9853
Website: scip.co.nz/contact

Services unchanged
– Travel around New Zealand (outside of Auckland) is permitted so we can see patients from all centres throughout our region.
– All outpatient services and surgical services in both centres will operate

Services that may be reduced
– Visiting services will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis
– Visiting services are often hosted by a third-party provider (such as schools, and hospitals)
– Visiting services may be subject to cancellation or re-scheduling if our regional hosts are not able to accommodate us due to their own COVID-19 policies

Safe Operating
– Chairs in our waiting room will be spaced 2 metres apart. For those caregivers or support people in the patient’s “bubble” this distancing rule can be relaxed
– We’ve removed anything from the waiting room that might be a source of infection such as magazines.
– The new Alert Level 2 has a mask mandate; there are exemptions when needing to communicate with anyone who is deaf or hard-of-hearing, and for young children. Details of the exemptions are here;
https://covid19.govt.nz/health-and-wellbeing/protect-yourself-and-others-from-covid-19/wear-a-face-covering/
These exemptions mean staff in clinic sessions may not always wear masks.
– Staff not immediately involved in your care (such as admin staff) will use masks. Reception and other public-facing staff may wear transparent face-shields to assist with lip-reading

Support People At Your Appointment

See this link for guidelines about support people at your appointment

Making Appointments
– We’ll be phoning or texting people to discuss appointments before confirming by email or mail.
– Patients who are considered “at-risk” or over 70 years can be seen in clinic If you are unsure if you should attend a clinic, discuss this with your GP or other relevant specialist first. See here for more information: https://covid19.govt.nz/health-and-wellbeing/people-at-risk-of-covid-19/
– If you don’t want to travel to an appointment or clinic at this time, we will look to re-book or provide an alternative “remote” or visiting service if possible
– Patients with urgent needs without an appointment who in the past have dropped-in to clinic are encouraged to text, phone, or email our clinics first. If you do drop-in, we may not be able to see you that day.
– If you are unwell on the day of your appointment or when you travel, please don’t visit us as we won’t be able to see you.

When you arrive
– You are expected to sign in with a QR code on arrival
– If you don’t have a phone for QR code reading we will ask you to register your details via a “ballot box” for this purpose
– We will have hand sanitizer available at both clinics
– You’ll not be able to eat or drink while in our clinics.
– There may be new signage and markings reminding people of physical distancing guidelines, hand sanitizing, and use of masks.
– If you’re collecting equipment or paying for parts and batteries, we’ll have available contactless payment, or you can pay by invoice over the internet. We won’t be accepting cash.
– We’ll ask you to use hand sanitizer when you first arrive. You’ll be asked to sign-in any support people attending with you.
– We’ll ask you a few questions about your health and we may ask you to wear a mask.
– If you have travelled to Auckland within 14 days of your visit (for any reason) we would ask you to defer your appointment

In your appointment
– For some services such as taking ear impressions and fitting ear moulds, and when handling speech processors, staff may wear gloves and other protective equipment
– The guidelines for Alert Level 2 are 2 m of physical distancing and we’ll try to maintain that unless necessary to fit your equipment to your ear, or where Audiology/Rehabilitation/Habilitation requires it