The Government is currently expanding the provision of asymptomatic testing to help identify and isolate positive cases of Covid-19 among those who need to leave home to go to work.
There are currently two routes to testing available:
Workplace Testing
Workplace testing is provided by employers (with more than 50 employees) to their staff in both the private and public sectors. This is unlikely to be an option for the vast majority of almshouse charities given their size. If , however, you do employ 50 or more staff and would be interested in offering workplace testing, you can register your interest at:
www.gov.uk/get-workplace-coronavirus-tests.
You will then be contacted by NHS Test and Trace and invited to a webinar to find out more information and decide whether to take part. Testing would be delivered by sites at the workplace.
Community Testing
Local authorities are delivering community testing via asymptomatic testing sites for those who need to leave their homes to go to work but are not offered testing by their employer. This is likely to include almshouse charities, particularly those that employ resident wardens who continue to work on site. If you charity wishes to use community testing, you should direct your employees to the DHSC postcode checker available at:
www.gov.uk/find-covid-19-lateral-flow-test-site.
Further Information
If you are a small charity with fewer than 50 employees and would like to know how to access testing for asymptomatic cases in your community, please contact CommunityTesting.CentralOps@dhsc.gov.uk.
If your charity has more than 50 employees and you have questions relating to workplace testing, please email p-and-psector@dhsc.gov.uk.
For more general queries about how these options for testing might work your charity, please contact MHCLGTestingEnquiries@communities.gov.uk.
Posted 8 March 21