2020 has obviously been a very difficult and stressful year and it seems we will all be living with Covid-19 and Lockdown restrictions for some time. At this stage, we have no choice other than to stick together, help each other out and get through this worrying time as best we can.
At Leech & Co we remain committed to helping our clients prepare for their future. We are continuing to help our clients make Wills, put in place Powers of Attorney and Funeral Plans and assisting them following the death of a loved one. We also remain committed to serving our clients by holding all appointments at our clients’ homes so that our clients do not have to make an appointment to visit us at our offices.
However, the health and safety of our clients and members of our team are our number one priority at all times. So, how do we make sure our clients and team members are safe while also continuing to help our clients?
The first thing we can all do is keep ourselves informed of the facts and the latest guidance. By this stage of dealing with Covid-19, we all know what we need to do to try to keep ourselves and each other safe and, through the year, we have all learnt about Covid-19, its symptoms and how it can be passed between people. However, there is a lot of information to take in and so it is always good to remind ourselves of the basic facts – a good summary of what we need to know at the moment can be found on the BBC website:
Coronavirus – what are the symptoms? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51048366
A cold, flu or Coronavirus – which one do I have? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54182329
What are the rules in your area? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54373904
What are social distancing and self-isolation? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51506729
Coronavirus – how can I look after my older relatives? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51855011
As well as keeping ourselves informed, there are practical steps we can take to combat the spread of the Covid-19. At Leech & Co, we are committed to keeping our clients safe, but also to continue helping our clients and visiting them in their homes. These are the steps we are taking to do this:
- We have provided all team members with the latest medical advice provided by the Government and NHS in relation to measures to stop the spread of the virus. We will continue to do this on a daily basis so that we are all aware of all preventative measures that we need to take.
- The latest Government and NHS advice can be found using these links:
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): UK government response – GOV.UK
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): NHS
- All team members wear face masks to all appointments (and in public spaces generally);
- All social-distancing guidelines will be observed at all appointments;
- We have instructed our team members to wash their hands regularly through the day and especially before and after every client appointment and to wear gloves if appropriate;
- All team members work from home and drive to all appointments by car. Therefore, we avoid contact with people in offices and/or on public transport;
- All non-essential team meetings have been cancelled;
- We regularly disinfect all office equipment i.e. keyboards, printers, phones etc so that any contact with any paperwork sent to our clients should be safe;
- We do not share equipment with each other or with clients including pens, folders, files etc;
- We will offer all clients the option of holding their appointments by telephone and/or by Skype/Facetime. We are aware that some clients prefer a face-to-face meeting and we are happy to visit our clients in their homes (observing all safety and social-distancing guidelines);
- Each day we are monitoring all team members and all team members’ families to see if they are displaying any relevant symptoms. If any relevant symptoms are displayed, the team member and their family will immediately self-isolate and re-arrange all client appointments in accordance with the latest advice and guidance.
We will continue to monitor and update these steps in line with the Government’s and NHS advice.
We wish all of our clients and their families well at this difficult time and if we can be of assistance to you in any way, please let us know.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of our Covid-19 policy further or if you wish to discuss making a Will or Power of Attorney or any of our services, please call one of our friendly team on 0161 749 9000 or e-mail us at [email protected] to ask for a call back.
