Soccer docs’ transfer puts them up front in NHS team
ROCHDALE football club’s doctor is rejoining the NHS frontline to help fight coronavirus.
With all sport suspended Dr Wesley Tensell, club doctor at League One Rochdale has volunteered to work at a new COVID-19 unit being set up at Leigh Infirmary.
He will be juggling his day job as a GP in Leigh to work one day a week at the unit, which will treat recovering COVID-10 patients before they are discharged.
Dr Tensel, a Cambridge-educated, 35-yearold dad-of-two, said he volunteered because he ‘wanted to do my bit for the community’.
He told the Observer: “You see people clapping every Thursday for the NHS staff, but as a GP I’m not necessarily on that frontline, even though I’m still seeing patients.
“So in a few years time when my kids ask what I did, I want be able to say to them that I did my bit for the community.
“There is obviously a risk. I have young kids, I have a wife, and we’ve discussed it. But I just need to protect myself as best I can. I just thought this was the best thing I could do to help. It’s come about because patients in general are being good.
“They’re staying at home, so a lot of my work is being done remotely on the telephone or by video link.
“So that means I can help out on the frontline.
“I never thought I’d ever work in a hospital again.
“But hopefully this is going to take pressure off the hospital doctors and allow them to treat the more acute patients.”
Wesley has been joined by Dr Jim Weems, Oldham Athletic’s club doctor.
The unit, which is being staffed by GPs, is being launched on Wednesday and will initially care for around 10 patients, with room to more than double that number if required.
Patients will recuperate on the ward until its been a fortnight since they tested postive for the virus.
The aim is to minimise risk of them infecting others once they return home.