Surgery sets up drive-through service for vulnerable patients

VULNERABLE patients who are shielding at home but in need of important blood tests and injections can now visit a surgery drive-through for their appointments.

A large marquee has been installed in part of the car park at Fordingbridge Surgery to allow those with appointments to have their care administered safely while inside or next to their vehicle.

The initiative – thought to be the first in the area – was made possible with help from The Friends of Fordingbridge Surgery, which sourced the marquee.

Dr Toby Wallis, who is a partner at the surgery, said: “It has been set up with the aim of providing a safe drive-through environment for patients who are the most vulnerable to infection.

“It will reduce the need for people to be visited at home. Home visiting can be very time consuming for things that may only take a few minutes – a blood test might take a 40-minute trip with the rural area that we have.

“By coming to us, we think it is safer for them in terms of risk of infection but also it will make the service run more efficiently and then we can provide more of our routine services to those who are less at risk.”

To make the approach to the marquee look more appealing to patients, the surgery is asking residents to draw colourful pictures or write positive messages which will be displayed on barriers. They can be dropped off at the surgery.