A copy of this notice can be downloaded here.

This sheet provides advice about the services the SCIP will be providing at Alert Level 2.

Although we will officially be in Level 2 from Thursday the 14th of May, we won’t start seeing patients until Monday 18th May and both clinics will still be closed until then. You can still get parts, loan devices, and batteries via our emergency service listed here until then: https://scip.co.nz/covid-19-scip-update-level-3-alert/

From Monday 18th May both clinics (Christchurch and Wellington) will be open from 9 am.

The situation is changing daily 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 office, through one of these channels;

Email:              reception@scip.co.nz

Text:                027 355 3041

Website:          scip.co.nz/contact

Preparing to reopen

  • For the rest of this week staff will be preparing the clinics so that we can provide services safely.
  • Chairs in our waiting room will be spaced 1 metre apart. We’ve removed anything from the waiting room that might be a source of infection such as magazines.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Services restarting

  • In the first 2 weeks patient numbers will be small as we slowly restart in-person appointments.
  • Travel around New Zealand is permitted so we can see patients from all centres throughout our region.
  • We will be recommencing surgery from the week beginning 25 May. In order to reduce the number of visits to clinic, some switch-on appointments may be done at the same visit as surgery.
  • Assessments that have been delayed will recommence.
  • Patients who are due to have their processors replaced will have these scheduled.
  • When making other appointments we’ll be giving priority to patients who had their appointments cancelled under Level 4.
  • Patients with routine reviews will be scheduled once other more urgent appointments have been cleared. We don’t anticipate this to be a long period.

Services still on hold

  • Visiting Habilitation services are still on hold until we’ve taken more advice from the schools and early childhood centres that we usually visit. We’ve been running remote Habilitation sessions up until this point and these will continue.
  • Visiting Audiology services are still on hold, unless urgent.
  • Regional seminars for professionals are being held online

Making patient appointments

  • This week (and for the next few weeks while we remain at Level 2) 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 still be seen in clinic but may be asked to wear a mask or other PPE in the appointment. 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/assets/resources/COVID-19-At-Risk-Factsheet.pdf
  • If you don’t want to travel to an appointment or clinic at this time, we will look to provide an alternative “remote” service
  • 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

  • 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.

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 Level 2 are 1m of physical distancing and we’ll try to maintain that unless necessary to fit your equipment to your ear
  • For your safety, our cleaners will be providing sanitisation of all hard and touch surfaces and we’ll be sanitizing clinic spaces between patients. The waiting room will be regularly sanitized through the day