Lateral Flow Device Testing Guidance

Lateral Flow Device Testing

This voluntary testing provides an additional layer of protection by identifying staff who are infected with the COVID-19 virus but who do not have symptoms. The opportunity to access twice weekly routine LFD testing is already available to patient facing staff with arrangements well established in local areas. If any patient facing staff do not have a testing kit and still wish one, your manager can still order more.

The opportunity to access this testing has now been expanded to NHSGGC staff who are working from our facilities who are not patient facing. This will include all administrative, managerial, support services, technical and professional staff not captured in the previous cohorts. The roll out for remaining staff will take place in 3 phases:

• Phase 1: All NHSGGC employees who are, at present, working from our facilities (for either all or part of their working week)
• Phase 2: From 26th April - Staff who are currently shielding but who will be returning to work from our facilities (for either all or part of their working week)
• Phase 3: Staff who remain working from home until June 2021 in line with Scottish Government guidance will not be eligible to use kits however should those staff require to return to a workplace from July 2021 there will be the opportunity to offer kits in advance of planned returns.

Please check and confirm with your line manager that you wish to receive the testing kit if you meet the criteria. 

Progress with the roll-out locations and other updates will be communicated via the Core Brief.

To further support the introduction of Lateral Flow Device (LFD) testing, the following is available to ensure that staff know how to:

• register their testing kit,  
• conduct their test
• report their test result and, 
• access a confirmatory PCR test if their LFD test is positive (as per current local Board processes)

Online registration and reporting

Step 1

Please acknowledge receipt of your Lateral Flow Test kit by completing this online form.

The form is available from home device and on your mobile phone.

Please note that a Lot Number is required for question 16.   The Lot Number is found on the outer box of kits.  It’s a single digit character followed by 7 numbers e.g. A1234567.

Step 2 

Once your test is complete please enter the results into the Covid Testing Portal, selecting Rapid Testing (LFT):

www.covidtestingportal.scot

It is now possible to register for a user account to quickly record your lateral flow test results once your test is complete. When you have registered/signed in, you will only need to enter the details of the test you have taken and its result, which makes reporting even quicker. You can do this via the Covid Test Portal:

www.covidtestingportal.scot

See the Scottish Covid Testing Portal User Guide FAQs (PDF March 2021)

(Please note that only tests taken within the previous 8 days will now be accepted.)

Again, this site can be accessed from home and from your mobile phone.

More general guidance can be found here.

Receiving a positive test result

If you have received a positive lateral flow test, you should self isolate and complete the e-referral form to arrange a test at West Glasgow ACH. Referral will be by appointment (available seven days a week). A positive LFD test will be used to initiate contact tracing. Where a NHSGGC staff member has received a positive LFT, followed by a negative PCR test result, NHSGGC Contact Tracers will assess whether the staff member can come out of isolation by following specific guidance, their records will be updated and the line manager will be informed.

Receiving a negative test result

If you have received a negative test result following the use of the Lateral Flow Test, but then go onto show any symptoms of COVID-19, as well as self-isolating, you must also book a PCR test through either NHS Inform or the staff testing site.

All current Scottish Government guidance can be found here.

Should you have any issues with your testing kit, please contact the link below:

[email protected]

Key resources to support self-testing using an LFD

1. Guidance document : a guide for healthcare staff self-testing for coronavirus using a Lateral Flow Device

   This guidance document outlines the contents of the Lateral Flow Device kit, how to swab yourself and perform the test safely and accurately. The guide also explains how to read and report your results, and actions to take should you receive a positive test result.

2. Poster: a summarised guide for healthcare staff self-testing for coronavirus using a Lateral Flow Device

   This poster (pdf) can be printed off for use in clinical areas or as an additional support material for the guidance document.

3. Videos

   This instructional video talks staff through the process of performing a Lateral Flow Device test for Covid-19 and demonstrates the key points to ensure you are using the correct technique.
   
   A short PowerPoint video that covers some common queries as well as offering hints and recommendations based on experience of using the LFD test kit.

   Staff talk about how easy it is to use the Lateral Flow Testing kit and the benefits it provides:

   Gayle Cooney, Consultant Clinical Psychologist

   Ruth Hamilton,  Healthcare Scientist

4. Frequently Asked Questions -  Version 1.8 - Last Updated 29th March 2021 

   These FAQs will be updated regularly. An overview of the questions is also provided with addition of any local NHSGGC FAQs not covered in national list.

   Your question may already be answered!  If your question has not been answered by the resources above, you can contact the enquiry mailbox [email protected] and a response to your query will be added to the   FAQs

5. Standard Operating Procedure

   The SOP has been developed for use in NHS Scotland.