Lateral Flow Device Supply Service

Written by AlisonFreemantle on Friday 26th July 2024

Care Home Residents

You may see an increase in requests from Care Homes in the coming weeks as they are asked to prepare for Winter. 

With the expanded cohorts, not everyone will have had a letter.

Provision of LFD tests:

The pharmacy contractor must confirm the patient’s eligibility for a supply of LFD tests. This could be by:

  • Having a discussion with the patient or their representative about medical history, confirming they qualify;
    • Consider reviewing the National Care Records Service (NCRS)
  • Referring to pharmacy PMR
  • Seeing an NHS letter which confirms eligibility

From the 1st April, the lateral flow device (LFD) supply service for patients potentially eligible for COVID-19 treatments was updated to include the following additional patient groups:

  • People aged 85 years and over
  • People with end-stage heart failure who have a long-term ventricular assistance device
  • People on the organ transplant waiting list
  • People resident in a care home who are aged 70 years and over
  • People resident in a care home who have a BMI of 35 kg/m2 or more
  • People resident in a care home who have diabetes
  • People resident in a care home who have heart failure
  • People currently in a hospital who are aged 70 years and over
  • People currently in a hospital who have a BMI of 35 kg/m2 or more
  • People currently in a hospital who have diabetes
  • People currently in a hospital who have heart failure

Service reminder:

All Eligible patients can obtain a free box of five LFD tests from a community pharmacy signed up to provide the service ideally before they have covidd and need to test.

A positive LFD result may help to determine whether the patient is referred to a COVID-19 treatment service.

Pharmacies already signed up:

  • Amend SOP with updated eligibility list
  • Check stock levels
  • Check the Service is selected on your Profile Manager

Pharmacies not signed up:

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