Helping the NHS to Test for COVID-19 – Aberdeen Testing Centre

At a time when most of the UK was preparing to stay at home and help protect the NHS for the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, members of the COVID-19 Rapid Response Physical Security Team came to the aid of NHS Grampian to make sure that the latest COVID-19 Testing Centre in Aberdeen was secure.

Against tight deadlines, the entire team pulled together on Thursday afternoon to get 350m of FenceSafe from CLD Fencing Systems headquarters in Sandbach, Cheshire to Aberdeen for set up on Friday morning. However, this wasn’t just team CLD at the helm. The RRPST involves a number of different companies designated to helping the NHS and going the extra mile.

From builders’ merchants to transport companies, the ability to respond as quickly as the crisis develops has been one of the key aspects of the RRPST in recent weeks. From securing the new NHS Louisa Jordan hospital, to manufacturing bespoke foundation feet, the RRPST needs to step outside of the normal on every project.

With the final Bill of Quantities landing with the RRPST at lunchtime on Thursday 9th April, CLD contacted RRPST members Dyce Carriers to arrange a priority collection of the fencing to be delivered to the site over 350miles away. As a ballast system, the RRPST turned to Travis Perkins and Jewsons to supply over 2000 bags of bagged ballast.

At 9am on Friday 10th April, LIVE Trakway, a division of A-Plant (Sunbelt Rental) commenced erection of the fencing ready for it to open on Monday 13th April. Commissioned by the UK Government the centre allows self-isolating healthcare workers to book an appointment and be given a swab test for Covid-19 without leaving their vehicle.

Christopher Littlejohn, deputy director of public health for NHS Grampian, said: “This is an extremely welcome development as it effectively doubles our capacity for keyworker testing in Grampian.

“Essential services have all been affected by staff having to isolate due to the coronavirus, and testing allows staff to return to work earlier than would otherwise be the case.

“The speed with which the facility has been developed is to be commended.”