【Esther Studer】

London Black Cabs will transport patients with the new coronavirus symptoms who require assessment for other non-urgent health conditions to their local doctor.

The Esther Studerservice will be free of charge for patients thanks to a partnership between the National Health Service (NHS) in South East London and taxi platform Gett. The cabs being used for NHS purposes won't be available to the general public.

Black Cabs have been chosen for this service due to their "privacy divider," which creates a barrier of separation between the driver and passenger. The cabs will be professionally cleaned between each journey according to NHS standards, a Gett statement confirmed.

Patients who are exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms who need to see a general practitioner (GP) for other non-urgent conditions can make use of the service. Testing for the new coronavirus will not be carried out at these centres.

The initiative — commissioned by South East London Clinical Commissioning Group — will launch in Southwark this week, before being extended to other boroughs in South East London. Initially, the service will operate Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 6.30 p.m.

So, how does it work?

Patients with suspected COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, who have been clinically assessed as needing to see a GP or practice nurse will get a referral for one of the NHS community centres. If the patient cannot travel using their own car, the NHS will pass on their details to Gett who will send a Black Cab to their home.

If a mobile number has been provided, the patient will receive a text message about their vehicle, driver, and journey details. If a landline number is given by the patient, they may receive a phone call. Upon arrival at the NHS community centre, the patient will either be taken inside immediately or assessed while still inside the cab and then brought inside if deemed "clinically necessary."

Once the assessment is complete, patients will either be returned home by the same cab with advice and medication if needed, or "routed into a different NHS service."

What protection measures are in place?

A professional cleaning of the passenger cabin will be done by the NHS using products and processes advised by Public Health England Infection Control Guidance, carried out wearing full PPE, per the Gett statement. An additional covering of the privacy screen will be provided by the NHS, and any fabric in the vehicle will be covered with a wipeable material. Masks for the passenger and driver will be supplied by the NHS along with alcohol gel for the driver.

Cab drivers won't be asked to assist patients and any patients needing assistance will receive their healthcare via a different service. Black Cab drivers with certain health conditions won't be allowed to provide this service, in line with NHS guidance.

Importantly, the service is not available to patients who are not exhibiting coronavirus symptoms who need to see a GP. These patients will need to make their own way to GP surgeries in their area that are still open to patients who don't have coronavirus.

Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association, said London's Black Cab trade is "proud to be part of this initiative to support Londoners and the NHS by getting people who need to see their GPs to their appointments quickly and safely."

The idea for the service was proposed by Gavin McColl, a GP in Southwark. "It is vital that we continue to provide GP services to patients in South East London even if they have COVID-19 symptoms," said in a statement. "This ensures they can get to the dedicated NHS community centres without spreading the disease."

Every little bit helps.