Reduced demand sees closure of Leighton Buzzard's Covid-19 Assessment Centre

Leighton Buzzard Primary Care Network has decided that the centre, which has been running from the Leighton Road site since late April to aid the fight against the virus outbreak, is no longer needed.

From Monday (June 22) the three practices in Leighton Buzzard will run their own individual assessment area in their surgeries. Each practice now has a dedicated space that will be used exclusively for assessing patients with possible symptoms of Covid-19.

The process for assessing patients will remain the same and patients are being advised to follow the government guidelines of calling 111 in the first instance if they believe that they may have Covid-19 symptoms and to continue practicing social distancing.

A Leighton Buzzard Primary Care Network spokesman said: "This decision has been taken due to the reduction in demand for patient assessment. It will also allow Leighton Road Surgery to move some of its displaced staff back into the site.

"Should the demand for assessment increase then the PCN Assessment Centre will move back into the Leighton Road site.

The Leighton Buzzard Primary Care Network consists of Bassett Road Surgery, Leighton Road Surgery and Salisbury House Surgery who have come together to provide certain services for all patients in the town. Dr John Henderson from Bassett Road Surgery is the Clinical Director and GP, nurse and management representatives make up the Board with input from the Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (BCCG).

The spokesman added: "The Covid-19 Assessment Centre was an excellent example of collaborative working to provide a high class service. During the forthcoming months and years the PCN will continue to work to bring centralised services to the town. We would like to thank patients for their continued support to their respective GP practice and to the NHS; it is greatly appreciated."

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