The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Coronavirus fight enters new phase
Drive-through assessment hub begins work today
A new phase in the fight against coronavirus across Tayside and Fife begins today with the rollout of drive-through assessment hubs for people needing urgent medical treatment.
Three tents have been set up at Dundee’s King’s Cross Hospital in the first instance to assess people who feel they are too ill to continue self-isolating, with more planned in Perth, Arbroath, Forfar and Montrose over the coming days and weeks.
The development comes as First Minister Nicola Sturgeon revealed the death toll across Scotland had risen to 10, and maintained the overall tally could be “much worse” than 2,000 if people fail to heed warnings to stay at home.
The weekend saw thousands of people effectively ignore social distancing guidance by flocking to parks and beauty spots, but Ms Sturgeon insisted “lives are at risk” if that behaviour continues.
Police Scotland has also ordered officers to serve emergency closure orders on licensed premises that defiantly stayed open over the weekend.
Drive-through assessment hubs for people who may need urgent medical treatment for coronavirus will be rolled out today in Dundee as part of a national escalation of emergency planning.
Three tents have been set up at the city’s Kings Cross Hospital on Clepington Road to assess individuals with the virus who feel they are too ill to continue self-isolating and may require further care.
A second assessment centre is expected to open at Perth Royal Infirmary in the coming days, with three further “sub hubs” also planned in Arbroath, Forfar and Montrose.
Patients will be asked to initially contact NHS 24 on the 111 number to discuss worsening symptoms and will then be contacted by a GP directly to see whether a drive-through assessment may be necessary.
The assessment will not test whether the patient is positive for Covid-19 but will instead be used to check whether individuals presenting with difficulties may require further medical assistance.
Dr Scott Jamieson, a Dundee GP who has played a key role in setting up the hubs, said: “This is not a testing centre, there is no testing of the general public.
“This is about assessment of patients who think they have it who we feel are well enough to come down in a car and be seen.
“Patients who need to be seen at home will be seen at home and patients we think need to be in hospital will be in hospital.
“This is for patients that can be driven down here and be assessed by a GP, with nursing support, and we will assess them here when they arrive.”
Health officials expect medical centres across the country to face increasing numbers of patients as the spread of the virus continues.
Assessment hubs will be set up in a number of locations throughout Scotland in the coming weeks to help deal with the strain.
The hub at Kings Cross Hospital was established just nine days after the Scottish Government tasked health boards to begin setting up assessment facilities.
Dr Jane Bruce, associate medical director of primary care at NHS Tayside, is hopeful the approach will mean additional pressures created by the Covid-19 pandemic are directed away from busy local GP surgeries.
She said the current plan is for patients calling to report worsening symptoms to receive a call back from their own family doctor but warned officials are dealing with a “totally evolving situation”.
“The whole purpose of this is to provide safe, efficient and effective care for patients across Scotland, and now people in Tayside, as the coronavirus pandemic escalates,” Dr Bruce said.
“Patients with respiratory symptoms will all be assessed in a coronavirus unit and that will free up GPs, who are very stretched at the moment, to work in their own surgeries and see everyday problems.”
Dr Bruce stressed patients will be given a thorough examination, similar to those experienced in a GP surgery, and could experience a range of outcomes following the assessment.
She said: “It could be three things really. It could be advice and being sent back home, it could be advice and treatment such as a prescription or the actual medicine out of hours, or it could be a seamless transfer to hospital.
“We’re working in really close conjunction with the hospital and secondary care to develop an overall response. So if we need someone seen at hospital, that can be done really seamlessly.”
“Patients who need to be seen at home will be seen at home and patients we think need to be in hospital will be in hospital. DR SCOTT JAMIESON