Today (Thursday 30 April 2020) sees the opening of a new drive-through testing unit for key workers in west Wales on the showground site in Carmarthen.
The unit is supporting testing facilities already providing tests for NHS staff and key workers such as those from police, fire and ambulance services, care homes and other critical local authority staff.
Other testing facilities are available across the west Wales area in Aberystwyth, Cardigan, Haverfordwest and Llanelli, and consideration is also being taken as to how testing capacity may further be strengthened in Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Powys.
This latest testing unit has been delivered following a partnership between the UK Government and Deloitte to deliver the UK-wide coronavirus testing of key workers. Key partners on the west Wales facility also include the Welsh Government, Public Health Wales, Carmarthenshire Council and other partners on the Local Resilience Forum.
Executive Director of Therapies and Health Science for Hywel Dda University Health Board Alison Shakeshaft said: “We are grateful for the partnership working between the government and agencies in our area to establish this testing centre which supports testing capacity across our large area. We serve a rural community and are doing everything we can to make testing as accessible as possible. We will continue to work with other health boards in regards to mutual aid and supporting people who live or work across our boundaries.”
Peter Roderick Assistant Chief Constable for Dyfed Powys Police said on behalf of the Local Resilience Forum: “We are pleased to support expansion of testing for our key workers in this area, which is a critical part of our response to this pandemic. We thank our key workers and also our communities for their continued co-operation and assistance.”
The facility, in addition to other testing units and alternatives being explored by the Welsh Government, could potentially support future expansion of community testing.
Symptomatic key workers or key workers with a symptomatic household member can request a test through the Hywel Dda University Health Board. Details on how to request a test can be obtained from the key worker’s employing organisation. If a test is appropriate an appointment slot will be provided at the most convenient testing facility.
People are asked not to attend any testing facilities without prior arrangement with the health board, as this could adversely affect their ability to provide tests to those who need them and tests will not be performed without a prior appointment.
Testing units do not pose a risk to the public as stringent infection prevention measures are in place to protect people, staff and the wider community.
For the latest news and updates from Hywel Dda University Health Board visit www.hduhb.wales.nhs.uk
Uned profi drwy ffenest car yn agor i weithwyr allweddol
Heddiw, (Dydd Iau,Ebrill 30th 2020) , ar faes y sioe, Caerfyrddin mae uned newydd yn agor i brofi gweithwyr allweddol gorllewin Cymru drwy ffenest car.
Mae’r uned yn cefnogi cyfleusterau profi sydd eisoes yn cynnal profion ar gyfer staff y Gwasanaeth Iechyd a gweithwyr allweddol eraill fel yr heddlu, y gwasanaethau tân ac ambiwlans, staff cartrefi gofal a staff hanfodol arall yr awdurdodau lleol.
Mae cyfleusterau profi eraill ar gael ar draws y Gorllewin yn Aberystwyth, Aberteifi, Hwlffordd a Llanelli, ac mae ystyriaeth hefyd yn cael ei rhoi i sut y gellir cryfhau capasiti ymhellach yng Ngheredigion, Sir Benfro a Phowys.
Cyflwynwyd yr uned brofi ddiweddaraf hon yn dilyn partneriaeth rhwng Llywodraeth y DU a Deloitte i ddarparu profion coronafeirws ledled y DU i weithwyr allweddol. Mae partneriaid ar y cyfleuster yn y gorllewin hefyd yn cynnwys Llywodraeth Cymru, Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru, Cyngor Sir Gâr a phartneriaid eraill y Fforwm Lleol Cymru Gydnerth.
Dywedodd Cyfarwyddwr Gweithredol Therapïau a Gwyddor Iechyd Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Hywel Dda, Alison Shakeshaft: “Rydym yn ddiolchgar am y gwaith partneriaeth rhwng y llywodraeth ac asiantaethau yn ein hardal i sefydlu’r uned brofi hon sy’n cefnogi capasiti profi ar draws ein hardal fawr. Rydym yn gwasanaethu cymuned wledig ac yn gwneud popeth o fewn ein gallu i wneud profion mor hygyrch â phosib. Byddwn yn parhau i weithio gyda byrddau iechyd eraill o ran cyd-gymorth a chefnogi pobl sy’n byw neu’n gweithio ar draws ein ffiniau.”
Dywedodd Peter Roderick, Prif Gwnstabl Cynorthwyol Heddlu Dyfed Powys ar ran Fforwm Lleol Cymru Gydnerth: “Rydym yn falch o gefnogi’r gwaith o ehangu profion ar gyfer ein gweithwyr allweddol yn yr ardal hon, sy’n rhan hanfodol o’n hymateb i’r pandemig hwn. Rydym yn diolch i’n gweithwyr allweddol ac hefyd i’n cymunedau am eu cydweithrediad a’u cymorth parhaus.”
O bosib, gallai’r cyfleuster hwn, yn ogystal ag unedau profi eraill a dewisiadau amgen sy’n cael eu hystyried gan Lywodraeth Cymru, gefnogi ehangu profion cymunedol yn y dyfodol.
Gall gweithwyr allweddol sy’n symptomatig neu weithwyr allweddol sydd ag aelod o’u cartref sy’n symptomatig, ofyn am brawf trwy Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Hywel Dda. Gellir cael manylion ar sut i ofyn am brawf gan sefydliad cyflogi’r gweithiwr allweddol. Os yw prawf yn briodol, ceir slot apwyntiad yn y cyfleuster profi mwyaf cyfleus.
Gofynnir i bobl beidio â mynychu unrhyw gyfleusterau profi heb drefniant ymlaen llaw gyda’r bwrdd iechyd, oherwydd gallai hyn niweidio’u gallu i ddarparu profion i’r rhai sydd eu hangen. Hefyd, ni fydd profion yn cael eu cynnal heb apwyntiad ymlaen llaw.
Nid yw unedau profi yn peri risg i’r cyhoedd gan fod mesurau atal heintiau llym ar waith i amddiffyn pobl, staff a’r gymuned ehangach.
Am y newyddion diweddaraf o Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Hywel Dda trowch at https://biphdd.gig.cymru/
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