The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Public urged not just to show up for testing
● People told to phone NHS 24 to be screened before attending
More than 100 people have been tested at the drive-through coronavirus testing facility in the Highlands – with no positive results so far.
NHS Highland yesterday urged the public not to turn up unannounced at its facility at Raigmore Hospital.
Since the establishment of the testing tent some three weeks ago, people concerned about their symptoms have driven straight to the site, expecting to be tested on demand.
They have to be turned away at that point as they have not been thoroughly pre-screened.
NHS Highland says anyone with symptoms must phone NHS 24 on 111 first, to be screened by Health Protection Scotland to determine whether they should go to the test tent for further investigation.
If they are asked to come in, a nurse will carry out a series of checks.
If the person’s symptoms give further concern, a consultant is contacted by phone.
If concern persists, the patient would then be directed to the sealed decontamination unit at A&E to be assessed.
Swabs taken from the 100 or so patients checked so far have been sent to labs in Glasgow, with results available in around 48 hours.
NHS Highland medical director Dr Boyd Peters said: “So far the tests have been negative.”
Dr Peters said some elective surgery has been postponed at Raigmore in order to reconfigure the hospital to provide more intensive care beds. NHS Highland is using and adapting previous major incident planning, developed at the time of swine flu.
Dr Peters said: “It will be inevitable members of staff will pick up the virus at some point and we have to plan for that.”
Sam Thomas, assistant divisional nurse manager said: “Like everyone else, nursing staff are feeling anxious in the face of a very different situation to anything most of us have had to face in our working careers, but we have a robust network in place to support them.”
Meanwhile Highland Council says it will suspend any planned public meetings and engagement sessions over the next few weeks.
Schools will remain open, but school trips outside Highland are to be cancelled.
Staff travel has been cancelled or restricted.
Chief executive Donna Manson said: “It is clearly no longer business as usual and we are prioritising services, in order to ensure the delivery of essential and statutory services, including caring for our most vulnerable people.
“We will be taking national advice on the recommendation to cancel events with more than 500 people. We will seek clarification on this and will issue further communication on what this means for events in Highland.”
NHS Western Isles confirmed no one had tested positive so far and advised the public to follow public health guidance to reduce the risk of getting and spreading the infection.
“It is clearly no longer business as usual”