Coronavirus: Volunteers making a big difference (and so did applause for NHS) – Chief Medical Officer

People in their thousands are stepping forward to offer to help fight the coronavirus outbreak, writes Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer 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 and offer their support. Particularly in taking the pressure off our NHS.

We have taken the difficult decision to suspend several NHS screening programmes – including our programmes for breast screening, cervical screening and bowel screening, as well as abdominal aortic aneurysm and diabetic retinopathy screening.

However, 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 healthcare 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 also reflects the fact we’ve asked people to stay at home to limit the spread of coronavirus in our communities, and only leave home if they need to shop for basic necessities, exercise or essential travel. We will re-contact 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 evidence suggests restarting the programme is feasible.

SEC becoming an NHS hospital

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 as we move forward in dealing with the coronavirus outbreak 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 it could have capacity for more than 1,000 patients if needed. This could become operational within a fortnight, and will be an NHS hospital, staffed and operated by the National Health Service.

A big thank you to all who responded to the call for nurses and other health professionals to return to help in the present emergency. We established a new web portal for recruitment last Saturday, and around 5,000 students or former healthcare workers have already expressed an interest in applying for posts. They will be considered according to qualifications and our expectation is that many of them will then be offered fixed-term employment.

The applause was most appreciated

The best way the general public can support our NHS is to follow the rules and stay at home as much as possible. However, we know that many people are looking for other ways to help. This week we launched the ”Scotland Cares” campaign, to encourage people to volunteer if they are in a position to do so.

In its first four hours we had 10,000 people registering their interest to help in their communities. 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.

And 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 with existing organisations through Volunteer Scotland. You may see the television adverts or hear the radio commercials 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. And 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.