As part of the HSE system wide response to COVID-19, Community Assessment Hubs are being set up so that patients who are confirmed as COVID positive, and who require a face to face clinical assessment can attend a community based hub as near as possible to where they live. Patients can access these hubs for assessment by GP referral only.
On Thursday last the COVID-19 Community Assessment Hub officially opened at the Primary Care Centre, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon. This is one of three Hubs that have opened across Community Healthcare West (Galway, Mayo and Roscommon).
The aim of the hubs are to divert mildly symptomatic patients over the age of 16 years who require medical assessment away from the acute hospital system by providing a facility in the community where patients can be seen, and clinically assessed by a team of Nurses, Doctors and Physiotherapists. Appropriate community assessment and management of patients with confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 will also assist in minimising the risk of community transmission of COVID-19.
The majority of patients assessed in these Hubs will then be able to return home and continue their care and recovery. Some patients seen at the Community Assessment Hub may have an onward referral made for them to a Self-Isolation Unit, if self-isolation in their own home cannot be achieved. For others, assessment at the Community Assessment Hub may indicate the need for transfer to an acute hospital for treatment.
The Assessment Hubs will operate seven days per week for up to twelve hours, if there is sufficient demand for the service.
All three COVID-19 Community Assessment Hubs in Community Healthcare West have been developed by the Primary Care Services locally involving managers and staff; supported greatly by colleagues in General Practice, Infection Prevention and Control, Estates, ICT and HR. All staff working in the Hubs have received additional training in the past few weeks and look forward to working with patients requiring this vital service.
Breda Crehan-Roche, Chief Officer, Community Healthcare West stated “These Community Assessment Hubs are fabulous facilities and will certainly be a great asset within each of the communities. People have been very busy getting these centres up and running in a short space of time. Lots of staff have had to double-job in the community so that these Hubs could be adequately staffed – a testament to the dedication and commitment of all staff, a real team effort.”
For information and advice on COVID-19 please visit www.hse.ie/coronavirus.
