COVID Community Assessment Centres open and ready to provide vital care

As the number of patients with COVID-19 in NHSGGC hospitals is now in excess of 700, medics at NHSGGC have issued an urgent message to remind members of the public with COVID symptoms to utilise NHS 24, NHS Inform and our COVID Assessment Centres in the first instance instead of Emergency Departments, so that they can be supported and treated in the local community rather than in hospitals.
By Dawn Renton
Published 19th Nov 2020, 11:31 BST

The Community Assessment Centres – in Barr Street (Glasgow), Clydebank, Renton and Linwood – operate on an appointment-only basis and ensure COVID-symptomatic people can be cared for effectively, while also ensuring hospital ED staff can focus on treating emergencies.

Dr Scott Davidson, NHSGGC’s Deputy Medical Director said: “It’s essential that members of the public go to the right place for their condition so we can keep everyone safe. Unless it’s a life-threatening situation, patients with Covid symptoms should make an appointment for one of our Community Assessment Centres rather than attending our hospital Emergency Departments.

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“The centres do a great job and ensure that patients who feel their symptoms are getting worse and they need to be seen by a doctor, can do so in a safe, clinical environment. It also ensures patients who may have Covid do not mix with other patients or enter Emergency Departments and GP surgeries, which will help us to limit the spread of the virus.

“The centres are staffed by experienced GPs and Advanced Nurse Practitioners, who can assess patients and give treatment plans, including prescribing medication. If symptoms are so bad that a member of the public needs to go to hospital for specialist care, this will, of course, be arranged.

“It is really important that patients who feel they need to be seen do this by contacting NHS24 on 111. If further clinical advice is required, NHS 24 will refer patients onto a clinician who will provide a full telephone assessment and if needed, an appointment at the patient’s nearest Community Assessment Centre. If patients have severe symptoms they may still be referred directly to hospital, but it is really important that our staff at hospitals can focus on those most in need to avoid putting greater strain on our services.

“On behalf of our staff, I would like to thank members of the public for their continued support and encourage people to keep our Emergency Departments for emergencies.”

Related topics:NHSCovid-19Emergency Departments

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