70% of people tested for COVID-19 at NHS Tayside testing hub are able to return to work after testing negative for the virus.
Since its inception, the hub is proving to be a success where NHS Tayside began testing frontline staff around two weeks ago.
Frontline staff or members within their household who had presented with symptoms of corona virus, were unable to come into work due to having to self-isolate.
The testing hub has allowed staff to confirm being free from infection and continue the battle against the virus.
The testing hub can now test up to 150 people per day.
Testing has now also been expanded to GPs, workers in health and social care partnerships, pharmacists and other hospital workers.
NHS Tayside Medical Director Professor Peter Stonebridge said:
“If staff testing had not been established, the self-isolation rules would have had a much bigger impact on our workforce.”
“Our clinicians foresaw this could be a significant issue and so teams of nursing, medical, laboratory and support staff worked together to set up the staff testing hub.”
“It was clear from the start that there needed to be a robust process for testing with staff advised to attend by appointment only.”
“We need to be very strict about the criteria for testing, however, people understand this and are following the correct process.”
“It’s also really important that there is a flexible approach to who we test, with key areas which might be experiencing staff shortages prioritised on a day-to-day basis.”
“This means that one day, testing may be prioritised for intensive care doctors and the next day it could be nurses or members of our support services.”
“The teams who have set this up have been really outstanding.”
“It’s been a brilliant effort by everyone to get this up and running and it’s really making a difference by ensuring our staff are safely isolating or are able to get back to providing key services for people in Tayside.”
“I’d also like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who is staying at home. You really are doing the best thing and the right thing.”
“Please keep doing exactly what you’re doing: Stay Home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives.”
