COVID-19: Testing available for substance misuse treatment organisations

The government has released guidance on the strategy for testing for COVID-19. The guidance makes clear that testing capacity is being built gradually in a phased approach.

Nevertheless, the guidance states that testing is available for:

” local authority staff, including those working with vulnerable children and adults, with victims of domestic abuse, and with the homeless and rough sleepers. Examples include…

… voluntary sector organisations providing substance misuse treatment and domestic abuse support”

The guidance goes on to state:

“Any frontline worker in England who is on the above list and would like to be tested should speak to their employer. Employers of frontline workers will be provided with information on how to make an appointment for their staff through their local resilience forum (where the local region chooses to organise testing in this way), their associated national department or agency, or directly through the Department of Health and Social Care.

Any employer that has any queries should contact their local resilience forum, their associated national government department/agency, or the Department of Health and Social Care at opshub@dhsc.gov.uk.“

The government plans to have set up 50 drive-through testing sites by the end of April.

An additional PowerPoint document includes information for employers on testing for frontline workers.

The Kings Fund also published some useful information on COVID-19 testing.