COVID-19 testing for Primary Care staff including Form
Date sent: Monday 6 April 2020
All Somerset GPs Practice Managers and Lead Nurses
Dear Colleagues
In case you missed this in the CCG update details of Testing Primary care below, please also find the assessment form attached
The Somerset system has been working hard to put in place testing for colleagues for COVID-19. The aim of this is to minimise the period of time that colleagues working in high priority services need to spend in isolation away from work. Following testing this week, we can confirm that from Monday 6 April 2020 two clinics a day will be run at Bridgwater Community Hospital and Yeovil District Hospital within Somerset.
These clinics are for colleagues within priority staff groups who have been identified by NHS England as frontline workers in critical care, emergency departments, ambulance services and staff who work in fragile services that are high priority – this includes key staff from GP practices. Fragility may be due to a shortage of staff or a shortage of specific specialist skills. It is planned to provide testing to further staff groups quite quickly and we will identify further sites in Somerset where testing can be offered and also look to provide testing on other days of the week.
In order to be tested, colleagues working within those high priority services need to complete a risk assessment form and email it to the staff testing unit StaffTestUnit@sompar.nhs.uk on Day 1 of any symptoms for triage and for test booking. Colleagues who are symptomatic need to be referred as quickly as possible and no later than day 3 of symptoms. For colleagues who are self-isolating due to a member of their household being symptomatic it will be helpful if the risk assessment form can be completed promptly. In this case it may be the person or people who are symptomatic that are tested.
Results will be phoned to the staff member within 24 - 48 hours following the test. If a colleague tests positive, they will need to continue self-isolation. If negative, they can return to work once your symptoms have resolved.
Kind Regards
Jill
Jill Hellens
Executive Director
Somerset LMC
TEL: 01823 331428
Fax:01823 338561
General Practice in Somerset Great Place Great Potential
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Attached file: Risk Assessment and Triage for Management of Healthcare Workers COVID-19v4 2.4.20.doc
