COVID-19: FIRMS STEP UP -
PPE-CLAD DRIVERS FROM EDINBURGH’S CENTRAL TAXIS WILL TAKE SUSPECTED CORONAVIRUS PATIENTS FOR TESTS
NHS Lothian has launched a new taxi service to take patients to Covid-19 assessment and test- ing centres in Edinburgh. The health board has joined forces with Central Taxis, Edin- burgh to provide a transport service for both NHS staff and people who have symptoms but can’t get to a nearby test- ing centre. A team of drivers will operate 13 black cabs across Scot- land’s capital. The taxis will have elec- tric doors for mini- mal contact and will transport people to
taxis specifically to help in the crisis. “We worked out a way to allow us to help staff and patients on the frontline. There is minimal contact bet- ween the patient and the vehicle as the driver controls the doors, wears
appointments at testing facilities. Drivers will be pro- vided with PPE for both them and the person they are transporting and are trained on how to safely discard the equipment.
All cabs that trans- port a suspected coronavirus patient will be disinfected after the journey. Murray
Fleming,
Secretary of Central Taxis, said: “We have created a micro fleet within our fleet of
AC RADIO CABS, SOUTHEND PUTTING THEIR LIVES AT RISK FOR OUR NHS
AC Radio Cabs has been offering spe- cial discounts for all NHS heroes working at Southend hospi- tal, giving up to 30 per cent off fares when taking them to and from work. Drivers at the Southend firm, with partitions in their vehicles, have also volunteered to take NHS staff members showing symptoms, to be picked up and taken home from testing centres. Drivers have re- ceived training on how to thoroughly disinfect their cars for the next person that needs a test and this is done immediately after every job. Drivers have been
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BASILDON TAXI DRIVERS DOING THEIR BIT TO HELP DURING THE PANDEMIC
given the option not to work, however, many drivers have chosen to carry on, putting themselves out on the frontline to help the commu- nity. Stephen Noakes, general manager at AC’s, said: “We started by offering shopping and phar- macy runs for those who are isolating and we have also
been doing deliver- ies for local com- panies that cannot open their shops. “On top of this we are picking up re- cords, delivering drugs to sick people at home and taking patients discharged from hospital.” Stephen did raise concerns that work- ing taxi drivers are not recognised as key workers.
Basildon cabbies are doing their bit to help during the Covid-19 pandemic. Michale Guyll, who works as a taxi driv- er in Basildon and is Chairman of Essex Taxi Proprietors Association, said: “There are less than three per cent of cabbies left working in the Basildon bor- ough. “And those who are, are providing prescription ser- vices, food runs for the elderly,
and
some are contract- ing for the NHS providing staff transfers, pharmacy transfers of medicine, and deliv- ering mobility aids to nursing homes
PPE and never leaves the cockpit, which has a sealed partition. “We asked our drivers if anyone would want to join the service and the reaction was really encouraging. They have had the training they need and they
all said they wanted to help and join the frontline crews.” Dr Tracey Gillies, Medical Director, said: “This taxi ser- vice is perfect. Peo- ple can be collected wherever they are and driven to their appointment for the care they need.”
from the hospital’s occupational health department. “We are also provid- ing transport to the elderly who are not internet savvy to shop online or con- nect to the council’s hub for help, or are too proud to ask for help – we are their lifeline to get them
to the supermarket and back, or the chemist.
“Us cabbies have even given out our personal numbers to the elderly or those with disabili- ties, so they could contact us if they needed a prescrip- tion picking up or some essentials.”
MAY 2020
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