Since April, 25 CTUs have cropped up across Wales to test patients for COVID-19. The requests for and results of these tests are streamlined digitally via the Welsh Clinical Portal's Electronic Test Requesting tool (ETR), reducing laboratory workload and minimising transcription errors. Our Business Change team provides national support and training of the ETR to the CTU nurses and administrative staff.
Cardiff and Vale's Quality and Safety Manager Rachel Armitage oversees the three CTUs within her health board, including the testing site at Cardiff City Football Club in Leckwith.
"I'm extremely grateful for the invaluable support and training the NWIS Business Change Team provided to Cardiff and Vale CTU staff," Armitage says. [The Leckwith CTU] had to be completed within a very short timescale and required training of 45 staff within a week while meeting the demands of social distancing. At the [two other] testing units on health board premises, testing was offered to staff and key workers and the efforts from the NWIS Business Change team meant we could set up testing units quickly and efficiently. This, in turn, meant enabling staff to return to work, thus sustaining health board services during this crucial time."
