Patients in Trafford developing stronger symptoms of the COVID-19 coronavirus could now be directed by their GP to a new ‘hot clinic’ in Stretford.
Currently, patients with mild symptoms are to stay at home and self-isolate but if people begin to feel more unwell with ‘moderate’ symptoms, doctors are now able to refer people to the drive-in ‘hot clinic’ at Stretford Sports Village (Stretford Leisure Centre) – where they can be seen face to face.
Set up by NHS Trafford Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), the service is for all patients registered with a Trafford GP who are ‘moderate, symptomatic’ COVID-19 patients who are referred there by their own GP following triage and assessment.
The service is provided by Mastercall – the provider of Trafford’s current out-of-hours’ GP service.
Dr Mark Jarvis, Medical Director at NHS Trafford CCG, said:
The service is designed to respond to the increasing volume of COVID-19 patients with moderate symptoms who require a face-to-face assessment and treatment.
To be clear, this is not a walk-in service. The existing patients being managed remotely by the GPs at home will continue as will the face-to-face assessment of mild symptomatic patients being looked after in practice.
The hot clinic will have a GP, and assistant, in full PPE who will assess those patients who have been having treatment from their GP but have deteriorated and now need a face to face assessment – or new patients who are moderately symptomatic.”
Councillor Jane Slater, Trafford Council Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Equalities, said:
This is a great service that will ensure people are being treated by the right doctor at the right time.
I am delighted that the Council has been able to help by providing the location for this service. Thanks also go to Trafford Leisure and Amey for their support in making this a reality.”
The Stretford Sports Village hot clinic, on Great Stone Road, opened today (Monday 20 April) and is in place should demand for face-to-face appointments increase. Many Trafford practices have opened their own ‘outdoor clinics’ but this provides an additional method to cope with demand.
