Letterkenny is to be the location for one of the country’s first ‘community assessment hubs’ in the fight against Covid-19.
The first community assessment hubs will be open and accepting patients around the country this week.
The hubs will provide “enhanced support” for people who have tested positive for the virus.
Chief Operations Officer of the HSE Anne O’Connor said that there will be 12-15 hubs in place by the end of the week and they will operate out of Primary Care Centres, seven days a week and from 8am to 8pm.
The assessment hubs are for people who are symptomatic, and who are becoming worse and for whom GPs feel they may need a clinical intervention.
Donegal Daily understands the hub will be located close to Letterkenny University Hospital but not necessarily on the grounds.
Ms O’Connor said this approach will maximise the number of people who can be cared for at home, and reduce the number of people being admitted to hospitals.
As well as Letterkenny other hubs will be located in Galway, Limerick, Cork, Wicklow, Drogheda and Athlone.
The number of people attending emergency departments is now down by more than 50% on this time last year, while hospital admissions from emergency departments has dropped by 41% year-on-year.
Anne O’Connor said that this is a “concerning story” of people not attending when they need urgent care and urged people who need emergency care to still attend.
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