Who is eligible for testing?

Staff with suspected COVID-19 symptoms who have been self-isolating for five days or less

A member of a staff’s household who has suspected COVID-19 infection and has been self-isolating for five days or less (which has resulted in the member of staff self-isolating as well).

Who are the “Priority” Frontline Staff eligible for testing?

All SCAS staff

If testing applies to you, your Manager will arrange for your test to be booked by Peter Oliver, Business Manager, through the North East Commissioning Support Unit (NECS)

The NECS require the following details to book the test:

Where possible, you will be booked for tests done by a local NHS laboratory.  If local arrangements are not available, you will be booked to the national testing programme site at Gateshead IKEA car park or via a mobile testing unit.

This is a booking service only and you should NOT turn up without a pre-booked appointment.  Access to the IKEA site is only available via a household car.

Appointment details and test results will be sent to you directly, along with any advice and support.

Test Results for Staff

In all cases, test results will be sent to you.

You are asked to share your result with your Manager, who will send this information both to Peter Oliver, coordinating Business Manager, and to Occupational Health so that appropriate records can be kept.

 Self-Isolation and Return to Work – All Staff

Ensuring that you follow the testing process and advice about self-isolation / return to work is critical to the prevention of further infection within the workplace and with vulnerable people.

The following guidance should be followed:

1.  For staff with symptoms, guidance on self-isolation should be followed regardless of the test result with return to the workplace no earlier than 7 days from the onset of symptoms or until they have recovered, including 48 hours without a high temperature, whichever is longer.

2.  For staff who do not have symptoms, but where a member of their household has developed symptoms and been tested, then the member of staff should not return to the workplace before 14 days regardless of the household member’s test result.