COVID-19 testing for everyone who needs it in social care

All care home residents and social care staff with coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms will be tested, the government is announcing today.

At present, the first five symptomatic residents in a care home setting are tested to provide confirmation of whether if there is an outbreak. However, the government is expanding testing to include all care home residents who develop symptoms.

Testing will also be provided to all potential care home residents before they are discharged from hospital, which will help care providers to take appropriate action to ensure that social care workers and other residents are safe.

The measures are expected to be outlined further in the government’s COVID-19 social care action plan tomorrow.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock said: "I am deeply conscious that people in residential care are among the most vulnerable to coronavirus. We are doing everything we can to keep workers, residents and their families safe, and I am determined to ensure that everyone who needs a coronavirus test should be able to have access to one.

"We have already begun testing social care workers and will roll this out nationwide over the coming days. And as we continue to ramp up our testing programme, we will test all current care home residents with coronavirus symptoms and all new care home residents who are discharged from hospital into care.

"Testing is key in our battle against coronavirus, and as part of our plan to prevent the spread and save lives we will ensure that everyone in social care who needs a test can have a test."

As the rollout continues, the Health Secretary has confirmed that every social care worker who needs a test can now get one.

As capacity grows further through the government’s new mega labs, it will prioritise the testing of symptomatic social care workers and anyone in their household who have COVID-19 symptoms.

CQC are leading co-ordination of testing for the care sector.

Care providers will identify workers eligible for testing and refer them to their local testing centre.