The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Assessment sites to be closed down as Tayside figures fall
Health chiefs are reducing the number of Covid assessment sites in Courier country, as confirmed cases continue to decline across the local area.
Hubs in Perth, Montrose, Arbroath and Forfar will be stepped down, NHS Tayside confirmed.
Patients can continue to access the regional community assessment site at Kings Cross in Dundee.
The health board said the move will help staff and GPs to return to more routine activities after four months at the frontline.
The stations were created in the early days of the pandemic to support patients with coronavirus symptoms. It also helped ease pressure on doctors.
Health bosses confirmed that, as the amount of local cases fall, the centres are no longer needed.
Medical director Professor Peter Stonebridge said: “This move is in line with the Scottish Government’s route map to recovery.
“Assessment hubs have been seeing very few patients each day... PROF PETER STONEBRIDGE
“Our assessment hubs have been seeing very few patients each day, which is why we have taken the decision to move to the next phase of our coronavirus response.
“By enabling GP practices to see patients with Covid-like symptoms, this allows GPs to maintain continuity of care for their patients, which is known to improve overall outcomes.”
He added: “We would like to reassure the people of Tayside that plans are in place to step our community assessment centres back up should coronavirus infection rates increase.”
Patients can continue to be assessed by their own GPs, Dr Stonebridge said.
Surgeries have been encouraged to set up dedicated isolation areas to assess patients safely. These are now in place at many practices.
A drive-through testing facility at Perth College, which was set up by the UK Government, will continue for the time being.