Coronavirus Kent: First patients seen at Ridge Covid-19 Assessment Unit at Headcorn Aerodrome
16:12, 09 April 2020
updated: 16:38, 09 April 2020
A drive-thru coronavirus assessment centre at Headcorn Aerodrome has now been open for one week.
On average the doctors have seen between three and five patients a day.
KMTV reports on the centre
The Ridge Covid-19 Assessment Unit was built for those who would normally need to visit a GP but could potentially be infectious.
Although no coronavirus tests will be carried out at the site, doctors are able to check the severity of symptoms before deciding if a patient needs to go to hospital.
Dr Faye Hinsley, who has been working at the centre, said: "We are a collaboration of 16 GP practices from across the mid-Kent region and we're working together to provide a face-to-face service for our patients who have Covid-19 symptoms.
"We want to create a facility where by our patients who might be vulnerable and have long term health conditions can still go to their doctors surgery and not be at risk of catching the virus.
"We will assess those referred to us to see if they need to go to hospital for oxygen or further tests. Or perhaps they will need to go home and have a GP ring them or even come back here again tomorrow.
"We're ready for the peak of the epidemic. As a rural area, thankfully the cases are very low and we're hoping that it will stay like that."
Jamie Freeman the owner of Headcorn Aerodrome said: "We've had a steady controlled stream of people.
"Parishioners have to phone their local surgery to get a slot before coming in, it's by appointment only.
"It's a drive-thru assessment centre but there is also a doctors room available to assess a patient if needed.
"There are also beds set up in the Air Training Corps 500 squadron on site. Those beds are for people who are really ill. Patients who need that facility will be looked after in the squadron until an ambulance can come and pick them up."
Other assessment centres have also opened across Kent including at Tonbridge School and the Maidstone Leisure Centre at Mote Park.
