LFD testing for domiciliary care and personal assistants
UPDATED ASYMPTOMATIC COVID-19 TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR PERSONAL ASSISTANTS FROM MONDAY 25 APRIL 2022
No changes are currently planned to the advised Lateral Flow Device (LFD) testing arrangements for asymptomatic Personal Assistants (that is for those with no symptoms) in Northern Ireland.
The current advice is that all asymptomatic Personal Assistants to continue to conduct self-testing LFD tests on a twice weekly basis in their own home, prior to attending their place of work.
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
ASYMPTOMATIC COVID-19 TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR
INDEPENDENT DOMICILIARY CARE PROVIDERS FROM MONDAY 25 APRIL 2022
No changes are currently planned to the advised asymptomatic testing arrangements (testing of those with no symptoms) for independent domiciliary care providers in Northern Ireland. As part of the Lateral Flow Device (LFD) testing arrangements, asymptomatic domiciliary care staff (that is staff with no symptoms) should continue to conduct self-testing using LFD tests on a twice weekly basis in their own home, prior to attending their place of work.
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.
Preparing and undertaking the test
Test kits are typically delivered within 48 hours. Before testing be sure to:
- read this guidance
- read guidance included with your test kit
You should continue testing regardless of vaccination status.
Tracking kit distribution
Managers distributing test kits are obliged to keep a detailed record of any test kits provided for use at home or outside the organisation. In the unlikely event of any issues with a batch of test kits, organisations will be required to track the location of tests kits. In order to do this the details below should be recorded and stored.
- First name, last name, telephone number and/or email address of test subject, details of lot and batch number.
The boxes of rapid lateral flow test kits should not be split up. Each member of staff should be given a complete box.
Reading test results
All test results must be reported online whether they are positive, negative or void. You need to use this service every time you complete a self-test.
To register a test kit:
- Go to Report a COVID-19 rapid lateral flow test result.
- Select who you are reporting the result for, either ‘Myself’ or ‘Someone else’.
- Create an account (you will only have to do this once and it will remember your personal details for when you have to register test results each time).
- Select ‘It’s for a social care service’ when asked who the test was for.
- Select ‘I work in a social care but did not receive my tests from my organisation’
- Select the date you’ll take the COVID-19 test. If you’ve already taken the COVID-19 test, tell us the data and time you took it.
- Enter or scan your test ID number. You will find the ID number under the QR code on the LFT.
- Enter personal details:
- name
- date of birth
- Enter your contact details:
- email address
- mobile number
- Select the result of the test (‘positive’, ‘negative’ or ‘invalid’).
- Check your answers.
- Receive confirmation of registration via email.
If you cannot register test kits online, you can either:
- call 119 and select option 1
- have someone else register on your behalf (provided they have written consent to do so and can obtain personal details required to complete the form)
Receiving results
When receiving results:
- whether you create a user account or not, notifications of your result will be sent to you via SMS or e-mail
- your employer may ask to see your SMS or e-mail results as part of their tracking system
If you receive a positive LFT result, inform your service user / manager and self-isolate as set out in government guidance.
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/coronavirus-covid-19-self-isolating-and-close-contacts
Tracking staff results
When staff complete rapid lateral flow self-tests, managers will not automatically receive a copy of staff results by email or text. Managers must request this information from their staff directly. Make sure you have set up a system for staff to share their positive test results with you.
Once you have set up a system for results to be shared, make sure all staff are aware of the expectations for sharing their results before the first day of self-testing
If you need help or have a complaint, call 119 (free for all mobiles and landlines) Lines are open 7am to 11pm every day