LFD testing for domiciliary care and personal assistants
Update to Testing 30th September 2022
Routine asymptomatic testing using Lateral Flow Device (LFD) tests for domiciliary care staff employed by independent domiciliary care providers and for personal assistants to be paused from Monday 3 October 2022.
All advice in relation to testing will continue to be kept under review and measures, including reintroduction of these asymptomatic testing arrangements, may be necessary into the future should the current risk assessment change and in order to mitigate against severe harm for the most vulnerable.
It is important to note that staff should remain vigilant for symptoms of respiratory illness including COVID-19 and if they develop symptoms, they should test immediately using a lateral flow test.
All Personal Assistants, who are not already part of an existing regular COVID-19 testing programme at work, will be able to continue to access LFD testing as before.
LFD tests can be ordered on-line for delivery to the Personal Assistant’s home
Or Personal Assistants will be able to collect LFD test kits from participating community pharmacies across Northern Ireland. Links to on line ordering of LFD tests and information on participating community pharmacies are available at:
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/coronavirus-covid-19-testing
Information on how Personal Assistants can continue to access LFD testing if they develop symptoms and advice for those who test positive for COVID-19 is also available on NI Direct at: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/coronavirus-covid-19- testing-and-stay-home-advice
Independent domiciliary care providers in Northern Ireland should continue to use Salesforce to order the LFD test kits, using the unique organisational identity code which has previously been supplied
Step by Step Process
Ordering test kits
Anyone working in adult social care who is not receiving regular testing are responsible for ordering test kits. You can choose which address they are delivered to. Once you have placed an order, you’ll receive a confirmatory email.
If you have any issues with any of the steps test kits, please call the national COVID-19 contact centre on 119.