One of our project managers, Kerry Griffin, has for the past 4 months been dividing her time with a front-line role in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic. In our latest blog, Kerry highlights some of the lessons learned from her stint managing Dorset’s Mobile Testing Units.
Earlier this Autumn, I saw an advert for a secondment for a part-time project manager to hit the ground running and manage Dorset’s Mobile Testing Units (MTUs). The role appealed to me as I wanted to do my bit to help support the Council’s Covid work and living in the community I thought I was well-suited to the post.
My role is to provide the logistics for the MTUs across Dorset that carry out PCR tests for people to see if they have Covid. Although the actual tests are run by the NHS, it is up to local government to sort out the facilities.
We currently have 5 areas within the Dorset Council boundary that are covered by 2 MTU’s – Bridport, Portland, Dorchester, Weymouth and Wimborne – although at times we’ve also been at Blandford.
Among the issues that need to be coordinated are signage, liaising with other parts of the local authority around car-parking, ensuring there are enough working portable toilets, supporting community issues raised with Public Health Dorset & Customer service & monitoring usage at the units, which are currently open from 9am-3pm during the winter and 9am-4pm in summer.
I’ve really enjoyed implementing a strategy and making it happen, listening to and working with a range of partners, including Marc Eyre, service manager for assurance who manages the council’s emergency planning team, colleagues from Parking and external community engagers. I’ve also worked closely with neighbouring Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP), which also have a number of MTUs, to ensure we optimise full usage of our available fleet and Rob McGovern who manages the full South West programme.
While we haven’t had huge issues with people attempting to destroy equipment, we have had to look out for vandalism of portable toilets and removal of signage. And there are always things to look out for – our sites at Portland and Wimborne that are school bases weekend only also through our holiday months move the MTU testing sites to free up our parking spaces for the essential additional traffic to support our community business needs.
I’ve learnt quite a few lessons from this role that I could put into practise for our patient portal – myDCR – including interacting and listening to a wide range of customers and being able to show what we can offer and some of the challenges that we are likely to face.
Response
Kerry’s manager for the project Marc has been impressed with her work: “This has been a really good example of how different areas of the Council have come together to support the response to Covid-19. Kerry has been fantastic, bringing in her project management expertise, her enthusiasm and drive to ensure that the mobile testing units are operating smoothly and effectively.
“This has been a huge support to our overarching emergency response arrangements in improving control of community spread.”
Ends