If you have ANY of the following symptoms: cold or flu like symptoms, fever (however mild), cough, loss of taste or smell, sore throat and are considering contacting the surgery for advice or treatment, then a lateral flow test will be required to support clinical decisions during your care and treatment pathways. In this circumstance, please visit the gov.uk website and request a lateral flow test – and you can tick the box to confirm that a clinician has requested this.
- As long as you fall into the category above, you do NOT need to speak to a GP or nurse beforehand
From 1st April, lateral flow testing devices (LFDs) are no longer freely available for everyone to order from the gov.uk website. They are available to buy from pharmacies, and some people will be able to get free LFD tests even when they do not have symptoms – this applies to people who are immune-suppressed and to frontline healthcare workers who still need to test twice weekly before coming to work.