Volunteer drivers help Covid patients

Volunteers from a health charity are helping patients with suspected Covid-19 to reach vital appointments at NHS Lanarkshire centres.

Drivers from LifeSavers Scotland are providing the service 24 hours a day to ensure that people who do not have their own transport can attend – if they have been asked to do so – coronavirus facilities in Airdrie and Hamilton.

Their three vehicles, donated by car dealership Arnold Clark, are fitted with bulkhead partitions to keep patients and drivers safe, and a strict cleaning regime after each journey.

LifeSavers volunteers usually help NHS Lanarkshire by transporting medical records and blood samples during out-of-hours – but have stepped up to a new challenge during these “unprecedented times”.

They pick up patients from home to take them to the assessment centres and, if needed, they will take them back home.

Group chairman Jim Harley said: “LifeSavers volunteers are happy to help our NHS as we have done for the past seven years – we’ve hopefully been reactive and expanded enough to help make a difference at this very difficult time.

“We have upscaled our operations during hard times before, but this is unprecedented, and we’d like to thank all of our team who provide this service seven days a week, all completely unpaid.”

NHS Lanarkshire head of planning and development Graham Johnston added: “I‘d like to send a big thank you to all the volunteers at LifeSavers for again giving up their time to selflessly help in what is such a worrying time . And also to Arnold Clark for their kind donation of the vehicles.”