Dale’s Club Doctor, Wesley Tensel, has returned to the front line in a bid to help the NHS and his local community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr Wes, as he is known around the Club, is our matchday Doctor who is on-hand to treat the players at a moment’s notice.
During the week he is a GP in his local area of Leigh, and he is now giving up his spare time to help out at Leigh Infirmary, along with Oldham Athletic Crowd Doctor Jim Weems.
Speaking to BBC Radio Manchester’s breakfast programme, Dr Wes said: “It was a matter of helping out the local community and trying to take pressures off the front-line doctors and staff and the great work that they’ve been doing.
“There is a lot of pressure at Wigan and Wrightington Hospital at the moment and this service has been set up in order to open up a couple of wards at Leigh, which will take some of the Coronavirus patients.
“So, when offered the opportunity, we thought it would be a good for us to go along and help.
“With the football being postponed, there is a bit more free time. Even though I am a GP day-to-day, there’s still a bit more time that I’m able to give.
“In terms of this new service at Leigh, it was due to start on Monday. There were some issues with PPE so it’s going to start tomorrow [Wednesday].
“We’ve been asked to look after patients who have been discharged from Wigan and Wrightington who do have Coronavirus but are unable to go back to their nursing home or where they live, so that will be our role as local GPs.
“Being a GP we don’t tend to be in a hospital, so it was an opportunity to go back there. All GPs have worked in hospitals but have chosen to go down the community route.
“I’m also a GP who lives in the local area whereas most GPs don’t necessarily work where they live. I live in Leigh so to help at Leigh Infirmary is great to help the local patients.