Using NHS test for international travel?

[justinebuns]

Just wondering if anyone knows the answer to this, sorry for posting here but desperately need an answer.

DP and I are travelling to where his parents live for Christmas. The country requires a test. DP is a teacher, so HAS to get an NHS test today, school arranged it etc. The NHS test is PCR from what I've read.

This means he would have already had a PCR test within the time allowed before our flight (96 hours before departure). I have to pay for a test to get the flight, and will probably order him one too, but does anyone know if his NHS test will cover him? The website says not to use NHS resources for the test, but he had no choice due to job.

These are the rules:
"all tourists and short term visitors must present a negative PCR test for COVID-19 on arrival. The test and negative PCR certificate must be issued no more than 96 hours prior to departure. You should not use the NHS testing service to get a test in order to facilitate your travel to another country"

Any ideas?

Not if you also need a fit to fly certificate as the NHS won’t give you that.

The NHS don’t provide a certificate and you might well not get the results in time - cases are going up, more people being tested and the amount of time it takes for a result is longer.

@LadyCatStark thanks for responding, this was my assumption, but I don't know if we need a certificate, no where on the website says it. We are flying BA.

I will try to still get DP a private one but the issue is school hours and parents evenings!

I think it means don’t just go for an NHS test to meet those requirements. If he has to have one for work anyway then fine, but don’t book a test and pretend he has symptoms or whatever to get one is my understanding of that last bit.

Lots of countries require the fit to fly certificate which you can’t get from NHS so check that. Also have you checked you can actually book private tests where you are? Many people are struggling to book tests in and are having to cancel flights as they can’t get one in time.

thanks, I think I'll call BA.

The private tests are booked, but we only get charged if we show up. I am going today for mine and he was meant to go before they closed this evening but means our tests will be couriered at different times.

Would never book an NHS and lie, he has a test (it's already been done this morning) as part of the Local Authority testing scheme for teachers? I don't actually know what it is

@justinebuns

Would never book an NHS and lie, he has a test (it's already been done this morning) as part of the Local Authority testing scheme for teachers? I don't actually know what it is

In that case you might not get a quick response. I do monthly tests for the national office of statistics and we get a letter back about a week later with the result.

@welshladywhois40 yeah, completely accept that, his colleagues had theirs friday night and got the result saturday.