This page provides information for colleagues at DCHS and Derbyshire Healthcare about:
The NHS has decided that, from now on, all healthcare workers should order their lateral flow test kits, and record their lateral flow test results, through the national system on the gov.uk website.
This page explains how to do this. We would be grateful if you would follow these steps and continue to use lateral flow testing – for your own safety and the safety of colleagues and patients.
How do I carry out a lateral flow test at home?
The lateral flow test involves a swab of the nose and/or throat to collect a sample, which is then inserted into a tube of liquid for a short time. Drops of liquid are added to the test strip and, after about 30 minutes, a result will be shown. Patient-facing colleagues are being asked to do this twice a week, before coming into work.
There is a lot of information to help you to complete the test - both written information and videos.
Written information
A national guide has been prepared by the NHS on how to complete the self-testing process.
Video
View a lateral flow tests video created by the Department of Health and Social Care.
What do I do once I have my result?
From 12 July 2021, please submit the results of any remaining tests through the national system – details below. Please note that you are no longer required to submit results through your Trust's internal recording system when you are using the national system. In fact, we would ask you not to use the internal recording system when you start using the national system, otherwise your results will be double counted.
However, we would ask you to contact us quickly if you have a positive test result; see ‘If your test result is positive’, below.
How to record a test result through the national system
Recording a test result through the national system is easy to do:
- After you have completed a test and got your result, visit the ‘report a COVID-19 rapid lateral flow test result’ page on the gov.uk website and click the green ‘start now’ button
- When asked who you are reporting a test result for, select ‘myself’
- Choose the option to ‘sign in or create an account’. This will speed up the process of submitting all future results, and of ordering boxes of test kits.
- If you are creating an NHS login account for the first time, please answer the questions about your personal details. You will be asked if you work for the NHS; please answer ‘yes’ and, when asked which type of NHS trust you work for, please select either ‘Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’ (under 'mental health trust') or 'Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust' (under 'community trust').
- If you have used the national system before and already have an NHS login account, for example because you have used lateral flow tests as someone in your household is at school, then you will need to sign in and update your personal details, to confirm you work for the NHS. Click on the option to ‘edit login details’ and then follow the instructions in the bullet point above to choose your NHS Trust. Please double-check that the details have updated correctly; occasionally the system seems to only partially update the information.
- Once you have signed in or created your account, you will be asked the question, ‘Did you take this test for your job?’ Select ‘yes’.
- You will then be asked the question, ‘Tell us about your work’. Select ‘It’s for the NHS in England, Northern Ireland or Wales’
- You will then be asked to provide the date the test was taken, the test strip ID number (using the number or the QR code printed on the test device) and the result. You should receive an email confirming that your test result has been submitted successfully.
If your test result is positive
In addition to recording your test result through the national system (see above), please take the following steps if your test result is positive:
- Please remain at home and arrange a PCR test. The national system will guide you through this process when you submit your positive result; otherwise visit https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test or call 119
- Please contact FirstCare (0333 321 8052) and your line manager as soon as possible.
- If you work at Derbyshire Healthcare (DHCFT), your manager will then be required to complete a form to alert the Health Protection Unit, who are now responsible for the internal ‘test and trace’ process and, where required, they will make sure your colleagues and patients get tested too.
- Once you receive the test result from the PCR test, please update FirstCare and your manager again with the result and take appropriate steps, based on that test result:
- If the result of the standard PCR swab test is positive, you must self-isolate for at least 10 days, along with all members of your household - learn more on the NHS website. The national NHS Test and Trace service may contact you to determine any close contacts outside of work that need to be informed, and your Trust’s internal contact tracing team will contact you to do this for your place of work.
- If the result of the standard PCR swab test is negative, you may return to work so long as you feel well and are not displaying any symptoms.
It is possible to have COVID-19 even though you are displaying no symptoms and feeling well. This is called being asymptomatic. This is one of the key things that the lateral flow testing is trying to detect.
Can I book a standard COVID-19 test through the gov.uk website if I don't have symptoms?
Yes - when you visit the gov.uk website, one of the questions is, "Does the person who needs a test have coronavirus symptoms?" You can say 'no' to this question and the next question will be, "Has the person been asked to get a follow-up test?" To which you can say, 'yes'.
For the next question, "Why has the person been asked to get a follow-up test?" you can choose, 'They got a positive result and were told to confirm this with another test'.
When booking a PCR test through the gov.uk site, remember to select that you are an essential worker. This will give you priority over other members of the public.
How do I order more lateral flow tests?
The process for ordering kits through the national system is easy:
- Go to the ‘order coronavirus rapid lateral flow tests’ page on the gov.uk website and click on the green ‘start now’ button
- Answer the question about whether you have Coronavirus symptoms; if the answer is ‘no’, you will be able to sign in with your NHS login and proceed with ordering a box of tests
- The kits are usually delivered the following day to your home address, or an address of your choice. And they fit through your letterbox, so you don’t need to worry about missing the delivery.
Find out more: frequently asked questions
Below you can find some questions commonly asked by colleagues.
Who is eligible to take part in this self-testing?
All colleagues who meet or are likely to meet patients and clients face to face, or visit multiple Trust and other sites, will be offered the twice-weekly testing. This includes colleagues working in Estates and Facilities Management and colleagues working on receptions.
What about Bank and agency staff?
Bank and agency staff should do the testing. All colleagues who are patient facing and are regularly working in your Trust should be included in the testing.
I've tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 90 days - can I still take part?
If you have had a positive COVID-19 swab test in the past 90 days, please do not undertake a home test under this scheme. Please wait until the 90-day period is complete, with day 1 being the day that you went for your positive PCR test. After the 90 days, you are welcome to start (or resume) self-testing with lateral flow devices.
Do I have to take part?
Testing is voluntary, but to keep patients and colleagues as safe as possible, the best scientific advice is that patient-facing colleagues test themselves twice a week. It should take no longer than five minutes, with a 30-minute wait for results.
How often do I test myself? Are we saying a minimum of three days in between?
The tests need to be taken twice a week, so please allow three to four days between each test. You may wish to time them according to when you will be on shift or in work, and to take the test before your working day begins. You will then have your result before you go into work that day.
What about if I am part-time?
Part-time colleagues should also do the testing twice a week, as a way of detecting the virus as early as possible.
Why are we doing the tests twice a week?
This is because the usual gestation period for COVID-19 is about three to four days after contact. Doing the tests twice a week will help to narrow down the timescale as to when you may have contracted the virus, and help identify where transmission may have occurred. This then makes it easier to identify and disrupt pathways of transmission.
Do I have to test myself at a particular time of the day?
No, you can carry out the test at any time of day. The time of day that you take the test is not as important as the amount of time you leave between tests (see above). However it makes sense to do the test at a time when someone is around who can help you if you have any questions about the test result - for example, if the result is positive and you need to contact your line manager and FirstCare. It may be best to perform the test first thing in the morning, and preferably before you attend work.
Do I continue to test myself while I'm on leave?
Yes, please carry on testing yourself when you are on leave, just as you would if you were still at work. The test is designed to alert you to having COVID-19 as near to the point of transmission as possible. This makes identifying possible sources of transmission easier and increases the potential to disrupt transmission pathways.
Do I continue to test myself after I've been vaccinated?
Yes, please carry on testing yourself after you have been vaccinated. Whether you have had one dose or both doses of the vaccine, it is still important to carry on with all infection prevention and control measures, including lateral flow testing.
This Public Health Matters blog post on the gov.uk website explains why this is so important. Although the vaccine is likely to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19, we are still learning to what extent people who have been vaccinated can catch COVID-19 and pass it on to others. As the blog post says, “Until very high proportions of the population are vaccinated, we must continue to protect each other by practising the behaviours we have become accustomed to.”
Lateral flow testing is very helpful in terms of giving us early detection of possible cases of COVID-19. Moreover, testing remains a key part of the fight against COVID when it comes to identifying and isolating new variants of the virus that pose the biggest threat to the vaccine programme.
Where do I store the test kits?
Please store the test kits at room temperature in a safe place, away from children and pets. Keep the test kits out of direct sunlight and do not put them in a fridge or freezer.
Can I do a lateral flow test on someone else - say, a family member?
Please only use the kit on yourself, as it is registered to you for the purposes of ensuring your safety and protecting Trust patients.
As you may know, growing numbers of people in the community are being asked to carry out regular lateral flow testing, including the households and support bubbles of primary and secondary-age school pupils (see gov.uk for details on this).
What about for patients?
Please do not use the lateral flow devices to test patients, either. We are not authorised to use them for this purpose. Please continue to use the standard PCR swab tests for patients.
How do I dispose of a used test?
Please safely dispose of the test items in their normal household waste. Please pour any residual buffer solution away first.
Why are my test results being recorded electronically?
Recording the information electronically means that you do not need to note your results down on paper, and your manager does not need to compile all the results of everyone in your team. Learn more about how your information will be used on the gov.uk website.
Who can I contact if I have any other questions?
- For DCHS colleagues - email dchst.twiceweeklystafftesting@nhs.net or call the People Services testing helpline - this operates from Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 3.30pm, on 07785 414129. If the helpline is engaged you can try any one of these alternatives: 07880 080781; 07917 559381; 07827 233144; 07960 320701; or 07920 590891.
- For Derbyshire Healthcare colleagues - contact the Health Protection Unit: call 01332 389150 or email dhcft.hpu@nhs.net or dhcft.staffcovidtesting@nhs.net
