The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Getting people back to work safely
Healthcare provider International SOS is helping people return to work in safety as lockdown restrictions ease
Global healthcare and security risk services provider International SOS is rolling out a new screening service to help get people back to work.
Using its expertise and the experience gained in delivering rapid screening for more than 25,000 offshore workers during lockdown, it is making the service available to businesses in all sectors.
As a leading provider of healthcare services to the energy industry, International SOS quickly set up and mobilised a large team to carry out temperature and vulnerability screening, as well as clinical support staff to sites across the north-east of Scotland. This ensured essential offshore workers were safe to work during lockdown.
As a result, the company has developed robust procedures and services which can support businesses in all sectors as lockdown is eased and people return to work. These include risk assessments, infection control procedures and testing, and the provision of an entry screening service.
Laura Kennedy, Covid-19 co-ordinator/clinical project manager at International SOS, said: “Overnight our clinics’ focus changed to deal with the evolving coronavirus crisis. Our point of entry screening service was an entirely new one and we were required to mobilise this swiftly and efficiently.”
As lockdown restrictions continue to ease, the occupational healthcare provider has turned its attention to how best to manage safe return to operations. Focus has shifted to risk assessment, site checklists and safe zoning of facilities, as well as considering the mental health of workers who have been in lockdown for months.
In addition, the company is offering an accredited and validated Covid-19 PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing service.
Dr Louise Slaney, medical director at International SOS, said: “We are providing ‘gold standard’ PCR testing in conjunction with our CMED service for category C symptomatic patients. This will ensure any symptomatic personnel are able to be tested prior to travelling home to selfisolate, without the requirement for an overnight stay.
“We offer validated PCR testing from our three clinics in Scotland and our clinic in Teesside, at customer premises or from the employees’ home.
Except for home testing, results are available within 60 minutes of testing of up to 32 samples, or within 30 minutes for single tests. Home testing provides a result within 48 hours,” added Dr Slaney.