Coronavirus: Shrewsbury taxi driver praised for transporting patients to assessment centre

Simon Bendall at the Shrewsbury assessment centre

A Shrewsbury taxi operator has been praised for providing transport for patients to the coronavirus assessment centre at Shrewsbury Town’s stadium on Oteley Road.

Since mid-April – in conjunction with colleagues from Shropshire CCG and Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) – Shropshire Council has co-ordinated a booking line that GP surgeries can call to request transport for patients to the assessment centre.

Simon Bendall has been providing the transport to the centre since the service began – and is now also being supported by the council’s transport fleet.

Stringent health and safety protocols are in place before, during, and after each journey – along with the on-site rules. This includes Simon providing all patients with PPE to wear for the duration of the journey, following strict guidelines.

Steve Davenport, Cabinet member for highways and transport, said:

“Simon put himself forward to help provide this service and kindly adapted his vehicle to meet all infection control requirements at extremely short notice. This ensured this vital service could be put in place and start to assist those in the community with no means or access to transport, who could now be collected and taken for the appropriate assessments.

“As we can all appreciate in these circumstances often patients are very concerned but Simon remains the very embodiment of positivity and is always helping and reassuring patients with advice where he possibly can.

“Along with the CCG and SaTH, the council wants to pass-on its gratitude to Simon, for his commitment and care towards his passengers in such challenging times.”

This service continues to receive requests and will carry on providing transport for those patients requiring transport as directed by the various medical practices.

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