Inside Health
Number of volunteers is heartwarming, writes Dr Catherine Calderwood
As we adjust to a different way of living while tackling the coronavirus pandemic, it’s important we all learn to work together. So I’ve been heartened this week by the number of volunteers and helpers coming forward to do what they can. Particularly in taking the pressure off our NHS.
We have taken the difficult decision to suspend several NHS screening programmes, including breast, cervical and bowel screening, as well as abdominal aortic aneurysm and diabetic retinopathy screening. It’s important to note pregnancy and newborn screening, including tests offered during pregnancy and just after birth, will continue where logistically practical. Pausing the programme helps to maximise the NHS’S ability to cope over the coming weeks, as staff can be re-allocated to support other essential services, including Covid-19 laboratory testing and covering for colleagues who are unwell or self-isolating.
It reflects the fact we’ve asked people to stay at home to limit the spread of coronavirus, and only leave if they need to shop for basic necessities, exercise or essential travel. We will recontact those who were due to be screened and invite them to attend at a later date, so they will not miss an important part of their healthcare. This is temporary and will be reviewed after 12 weeks, or earlier if feasible.
Anyone who detects symptoms of conditions we would normally screen for should contact their GP immediately. Further information is available on the NHS Inform website, and there is a dedicated helpline for people with screening queries at 0800 22 44 88. Our hope is that measures to increase capacity in our hospitals will be enough. But as a contingency measure, the Scottish Exhibition Centre (SEC) in Glasgow is being turned into a temporary hospital. It will initially provide 300 extra beds, but could take more than 1,000 patients if needed. This could be operational within a fortnight, and will be an NHS hospital.
A big thank you to all who responded to the call for nurses and health professionals to return to help in this emergency. We set up a web portal for recruitment last Saturday, and around 5,000 students or former health workers have expressed an interest in posts. They will be considered according to qualifications and our expectation is that many of them will then be offered fixed-term employment.
The best way the public can support our NHS is to follow the rules and stay at home as much as possible. However, we know many people are looking for ways to help. This week we launched the “Scotland Cares” campaign, to encourage people to volunteer if they can. In its first four hours, we had 10,000 people register an interest. Those wanting to volunteer should visit www.readyscotland.org. Returning health and care service workers will be directed to information about the arrangements currently in place in NHS Scotland. General volunteers will be given the chance to become a community reserve volunteer with the British Red Cross, or they can choose to view information and opportunities through Volunteer Scotland. You may notice the TV or radio adverts this week, which will emphasise the importance of helping neighbours and family, safely of course.
In these difficult times, it’s good to find a reason to smile. I have to say the recent encouragement for communities to step outside of their front door and give a round of applause to our NHS made me very happy.
Catherine Calderwood is Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer