NHS helps Scottish car dealer tackle COVID-19 ‘clusters’ at two retail sites

Dicksons of Inverness boss Fraser Bryce has said that he was ‘delighted’ with assistance offered by the NHS as the car retail group worked to tackle clusters of COVID-19 coronavirus at two of its dealerships.

The managing director of the Scottish Kia, Nissan and Suzuki GB franchised car retail group told the Ross-shire Journal newspaper that the business counted itself as being “very fortunate” in avoiding the worst impact of the virus among its 90 staff prior to cases experienced earlier this month.

The business, which operates across four sites, discovered a cluster of four cases at one of its retail sites around the turn of the month and a second of a similar size around a week later, the newspaper reported.

Bryce told the Ross-shire Journal: "Dicksons has been very fortunate throughout the last year since the pandemic began to have had a low number of positive cases between nearly 90 staff across four different sets of premises.

"We have had no positive cases in the last four days, however experienced a small cluster of four cases in an isolated building around two weeks ago and a further cluster of similar size in different premises last week.

Bryce added: “We are delighted with the help NHS Highland have given us to prevent further spread."

An NHS Highland spokeswoman said: "NHS Highland is aware of an outbreak of COVID-19 cases linked to Dickson’s in Inverness.

“Investigations have been undertaken in conjunction with Highland Council's Environmental Health Team.

“NHS Highland’s Health Protection Team has carried out contact tracing and the appropriate guidance and advice has been given."

A week ago AM reported that Park’s Motor Group had confirmed that it had temporarily closed the doors to one of its Nissan dealerships after a number of employees tested positive for COVID-19 coronavirus.

The AM100 car retail group confirmed the measure taken at its facility in Irvine, Ayrshire, in a statement issued to the Irvine Herald newspaper.

In this month’s edition of AM Magazine car retailers from across the UK talk about the lessons they have learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among those sharing their experiences is John Clark Motor Group Manging director, Chris Clark, who shares his experience of closing the group’s Pentland Land Rover dealership in Perth after three team members tested positive for the virus.

Clark told AM: “It was a challenging two or three days, but ultimately reassuring for the COVID lead to confirm that we had taken the necessary steps and done everything we possibly could.”