As a matter of urgency in response to omicron and emerging concerns around transmission and prevalence, the Scottish Government are asking staff in the adult and older people care home sector to carry out an LFD test on a daily basis (in addition to weekly PCR testing).
This is to protect residents as clinical evidence suggests there is an additional risk of covid spreading within care home settings.
They are also encouraging all social care staff to consider taking a LFD test on a daily basis, and particularly on the days they are working with potentially vulnerable people.
For care home staff to meet the additional testing ask – staff should already have LFD test kits from current testing arrangements and we ask that these are used in the first instance. NSS are putting in place arrangements to provide additional test stocks to care homes.
For all other social care staff tests can be collected at your local pharmacy or test site – see link to find nearest (Find where to get rapid lateral flow tests – NHS (test-and-trace.nhs.uk))
Staff should record their result (positive and negative) on the following portal for work based testing kits (issued from care home) – Welcome – COVID Testing Portal (service-now.com) and the following portal for kits collected at a pharmacy or test site Report a COVID-19 rapid lateral flow test result – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Staff can select their profession in both portals.
Below are two letters that have been issued from DCMO (Graham Ellis) and DCNO (Anne Armstrong) on “minimising the risk of COVID-19 transmission over the winter period” to adult care homes and care at home, supporting housing and day services.
We would ask colleagues to support this crucial protective measure and cascade this information as necessary.[vc_btn title=”Letter to Care at Home, Housing Support & Day Services” color=”info” size=”lg” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fscottishcare.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F12%2F09-12-21-DCMO-and-DCNO-letter-to-Care-at-Home-Supported-Housing-and-Day-Services-updating-on-Omicron-and-protective-measures.pdf”][vc_btn title=”Letter to Care Homes” color=”info” size=”lg” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fscottishcare.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F12%2F09-12-21-DCMO-and-DCNO-letter-to-Adult-Care-Homes-updating-on-Omicron-and-protective-measures.pdf”]
