TUESDAY,07 APRIL, 2020

Photograph attached: L-R Jessica Young, Dental Nurse, Mhari-Claire McRae, Dental Nurse, Hazel Todd, Dental Nurse, Hazel Duncan, Dental Therapist, Kirsty Macgregor, Dental Nurse at Broxden Dental Centre

COVID-19: Dental staff step up to take blood samples during outbreak

Tayside dental staff are supporting the COVID-19 response by providing community phlebotomy services, meaning they can now take blood samples from patients.

Many patients require regular phlebotomy for disease and medication monitoring. To ensure this service could continue during the pandemic, dental staff from throughout Tayside offered to undertake additional training in how to take blood samples.

Patients who require phlebotomy are often immunosuppressed meaning that bringing them to a hospital site could be dangerous at this time. The service has now been relocated to Integrated Dental Service sites in Dundee Dental Hospital, Springfield Medical Centre in Arbroath and Broxden Dental Centre in Perth, with services being delivered from 9 am until 3.30 pm, Monday to Friday.

Dental Therapist, Hazel Duncan, said, “The dental community wanted to help during this difficult time, which is why we took up the opportunity to train in phlebotomy and help with the COVID-19 response in Tayside.

“This means that patients will still receive an excellent level of care, with the main change being where they go to receive their treatment.”

Clinical Dental Director, Dr Morag Curnow, said, “I am delighted at the contribution dentistry has been able to make to the wider NHS Tayside family.

“All branches of dentistry have stepped up to the challenge, with independent practices, the Public Dental Service and the Dental Hospital all working together for the common good. I’m proud to be a member of the dental team here in Tayside.”

It was announced last month that all routine dental care would stop across Scotland and the Public Dental Services would coordinate emergency dental care for all patients during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Within Tayside, urgent care centres have been opened at Kings Cross Health and Community Care Centre, Dundee Dental Hospital, Springfield Medical Centre and Broxden Dental Centre.

If you have a dental emergency, you should phone your usual dentist in the first instance, or call 01382 425791 in hours or NHS 24 on 111 in the evenings and at weekends. All patients are assessed by phone and offered an appointment at the appropriate centre. There is no drop-in facility and patients are seen by appointment only. Please do not attend any of these centres unless you have an appointment.

Contact:

Cara Longmuir

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 740716