COVID-19 Testing of Group 2, 3 & 4 Essential Workers
On 20th April NHS Orkney began COVID-19 testing following delivery of two test analysers which are currently being used for patient and testing individuals and members of their household from the key worker Group 1 co-hort. The priority worker matrix identifies key workers to be tested during the lockdown phase of the COVID-19 response issued by Scottish Government states that testing for this cohort group includes health and social care workers, along with staff working in residential care homes and essential roles where service resilience is at risk.
Evidence suggests testing may have an impact on supporting service delivery and the greatest reduction in working days lost to isolation. Iain Stewart, Chief Executive Designate today said “following guidance issued by Scottish Government and agreement by the Health Board’s Clinical Care Governance Committee, working in partnership with Orkney’s Chief Officers Group (COG) and Orkney’s Local Emergency Coordination Group (OLECG) testing for symptomatic essential keyworkers and their symptomatic household members in groups 2, 3 and 4 will now commence on Monday 18th May 2020 across all County essential services”.
Iain said “testing will be undertaken at the COVID-19 Assessment Centre with results being available within hours rather than days. Currently our laboratory continues to provide a clinical service and the Health Board is confident at this time that demand for COVID-19 testing can be met and will be managed daily. However, it may be necessary on occasions to prioritise other cohorts such as those in Group 1 when demand for testing exceeds capacity”.
If you or a family member is symptomatic of COVID 19 (new continuous cough OR fever OR loss of/change in sense of smell or taste) and work in the following areas you may be eligible for COVID-19 testing:
- Police
- Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
- Local authorities staff working public safety, security or law and order
- Front-lime Home Office Staff, including
- a) those running immigration detention centres,
- b) Maritime Border Force
- c) frontline immigration and customs officers
- Essential defence personnel
- Essential environmental protection
- Essential animal health and welfare
- Funeral industry
- Staff working for third sector organisations supporting people and children who are vulnerable, including grant aided schools
- Essential roles within food supply chain and food processing.
- Essential roles within medicines and pharmaceutical supply.
- Essential roles in chemicals supply chains
- Essential roles in energy and water supply
- Staff providing childcare/education in schools for key workers
- Public transport workers
- Postal services
- Financial services
- Supermarket workers
- Construction and maintenance of essential public services
- Court and Crown Office staff
- Civil Servants, parliament staff and other critical decision makers in public sector working on the central response to covid-19
- Journalists
- Staff involved in or volunteering in a nationally or locally significant industry important to economic sustainability and growth
Sara Lewis, consultant in public health at NHS Orkney said “the testing process will not include a health assessment. It is recommended that if you are displaying symptoms of COVID-19 you should visit the NHS Inform website in the first instance or contact NHS24 (111) to see if your symptoms are consistent with COVID-19 infection”.
“If NHS24 advise symptoms are consistent with COVID-19 and home isolation is required you should contact your employer to obtain a copy of the testing referral form. A copy of the form can be downloaded by clicking here or emailing HighlandIslandMailKirkwall@scotland.pnn.police.uk ”.
“Completed testing forms should be emailed from an employee’s line manager or Human Resources Dept representative, where available, but in any case providing verification that they’re absence from work, on account of self-isolating, is preventing their respective organisation from operating and providing an essential service in Orkney. Forms should be emailed to the Gateway address of HighlandIslandMailKirkwall@scotland.pnn.police.uk which is co-ordinating the testing service on behalf of OLECG with the exception of Orkney Islands Council employees or health and social care workers who should continue to access COVID-19 testing through the process currently in place”.
“On receipt of the referral the testing centre will contact you or your household member to offer an invite for testing. Test results should be available on the same day as testing, individuals will be contacted by the COVID-19 Assessment Centre who will confirm the test results with the individual and their employer. Test results of household members will be anonymised in line with Scottish Government guidance”.
“Any individuals found to have a positive COVID-19 test result this will be reported to their line manager, their GP and NHS Orkney’s Public Health Department for follow up”
The Chair of OLECG, Chief Inspector Matt Webb said, “We would like to thank all the keyworkers who continue to work so hard to ensure services continue, enabling us to safeguard and protect the residents of Orkney”.