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The new temporary surgery for any patients who think they may be suffering from corona virus is opening in the grounds of the Princess Elizabeth Hospital today, at what is usually the Chest and Heart Unit.
The three Primary Care Practices in the island and Health and Social Care have worked together to come up with the new system, which had been based at the Longfrie for the last couple of weeks but has now been brought closer to the other emergency health care services at the hospital.
It means there is a designated surgery for anyone with symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection within the grounds of the PEH.
Having previously been the base for this, The Longfrie Surgery is now closed until further notice. The premises will receive another deep clean and will be ready to open again when the time comes for the lockdown to end.
Patients who usually attend the Longfrie Surgery should continue to call their usual surgery number as normal if they want to make an appointment and they will be advised accordingly.
Pictured: The Longfrie had been used as a corona virus clinic, but it is now closed to all.
With immediate effect, from Friday 3 April, anyone with symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection should phone their usual GP surgery first for advice. No one should go to the Chest and Heart Unit without an appointment, but you will be advised to go if you need to.
Each of the three Primary Care Practices, which run all GP surgeries in the island, are working together on this, meaning the advice given will be the same when you call your own surgery with any symptoms identified as being linked to covid-19.
Staff from each of the practices; Queens Road Medical Practice, Island Health and Healthcare, will be based at the Chest and Heart Unit, while they, together with HSC and the senior management of the Hospital work to ensure the best use of all available clinical resources.
Pictured: The new temporary corona virus clinic is in the grounds of the PEH.
Any patients with symptoms related to covid-19, should call their own usual GP Practice in the first instance and they will be appropriately directed, possibly for an appointment at the Chest and Heart Unit.
Patients with minor symptoms who do not need to see a GP should continue to follow Public Health advice and self-isolate.
Primary Care hope that by moving the service to a more central location, it will make the dedicated clinic more accessible for more people.
By having one clinic focused on symptomatic patients, it also gives those people the chance to see their GP, without the fear of infecting others, while anyone without symptoms can continue to go to their normal surgery for appointments without mixing with potentially infected patients.
Everyone should also still be following Public Health advice regarding self-isolation and the lockdown, as nothing else has changed at this time.
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