Covid-19 testing hub opens at St Mary’s

A new hub to test for Covid-19 recently opened up on the northside of Cork city.

It’s the first Community Assessment Hub to open in Cork and is for patients who have or may have a confirmed diagnosis of the virus but only if their GP decides they need a face-to-face clinical assessment.

Patients can only access the hub at St Mary’s Health Campus in Gurranabraher when referred by their GP while the hub has been opened so that anyone who needs a face-to-face clinical assessment can get one in the community, as quickly as possible.

This will help patients who need assessment but who do not need immediate hospital care to avoid referrals to acute hospitals where possible. Once seen at the hub, patients may either be asked to return home, to enter isolation or to attend an acute hospital.

A spokesperson for the HSE said: “We expect the opening hours to be from 8.30am-7.30pm although this will depend on the level of referrals. Patients will only be seen by appointment. It is not possible to make appointments at the hub. This can only be done by your GP or by SouthDoc on Saturday and Sunday.”

The hub at St Mary’s will be staffed mostly by GPs with the support of healthcare professionals including nurses and physiotherapists, with administrative support.

“We would like to pay tribute to the teams involved in getting this hub and other hubs set up and operational for their dedication to patient care,” added the spokesperson.

More than 120 staff have been trained across Cork and Kerry to work in these hubs which are also due to open in Bantry, Ballincollig, Mallow and Castleisland in Kerry.