REMINDER: Primary care employers can refer staff (and staff can ask their employer to be referred) for a PCR swab test via the East London Health Care Partnership offer, using the ELHCP COVID-19 PCR swab test booking system 7 days a week.

Employer guidance here

Employee guidance here

Summary

• Testing is only available to staff and members of their household who have symptoms - new persistent cough, high temperature, loss of taste or smell. 
• Practices and providers can refer staff for drive-thru test sites via the link https://nhscovidtestlondon.onk2.com
• Staff can self-refer for testing at a local test site via  https://nhscovidtestlondon.onk2.com
• For now,  home testing is accessible for self-referral via the Gov.uk website
• Activity tracking and data can be made available at system level.

ELHCP in partnership with the North England CSU (NECSU) have been working  to deliver  a system for a Single Point of Access (SPA) to integrate all staff test programmes centrally in north east London. The system has been shaped to incorporate local supported testing site offers and home testing. 

What does this mean for GP practices/Providers:

• Each practice/Provider has to access the Single Point of Access NECSU booking site directly when nominating staff and/or members of their household for swab testing at a local supported test site. Primary care staff may also self-book their appointments and members of their household directly. To do so GPs or their staff need to enter that they are an 'employer' and then put their own name (or members of their household) down as employees. 
• Please make your referral (either by you as an employer or your self-referral) by following the link: https://nhscovidtestlondon.onk2.com This will then send you an email with the link for you to select your drive-through test site and time or your home testing kit.
• Testing via this portal is only available to staff and members of their household who have symptoms - new persistent cough, high temperature, loss of taste or smell. 

(link: Covid-19 Testing Managers User Guide) 

What this means for Staff testing  

• Once the referral is made, an email is  generated and sent to the staff member’s email address with all of the instructions to enable the direct booking on line  for a test at their nearest test location.
• Staff will have more access to attend local supported sites on offer throughout the boroughs
• Once the test is booked, staff will be given information on how they will receive their test results, which should be made available within 3 days of the test having been undertaken. 
• Staff should notify their employer directly of the outcome of any results 

(link Covid-19 Nominated Key Workers Booking Instruction) 

Support for using the system is available through the NECSU Support Team 

• Email: necsu.covid19keyworkertesting@nhs.net
• Telephone: 0191 691 3656 

Test sites currently available (mobile sites additional sites are added to the portal ) 

Home Testing

ELHCP are working with partners to develop a locally managed home testing service for health and social care Providers across NEL. For now, staff who prefer home testing can continue to order test kits via the national link: https://www.gov.uk/apply-coronavirus-test