to want my employer to provide weekly PCR kits?

[PrincessEugenieOfYorkieBar]

Hi

I’ve recently started work with a domiciliary care company. I have been told that they will not give employees 4 PCR tests to do at home over 4 weeks and will only offer them to staff by choosing people randomly. The company I worked at before this did give us 4 PCR tests which we would do weekly and post ourselves.

Can anyone tell me if this is right as from what I’ve been reading, care companies are supposed to give each member of staff 4 for the month.

Also, do they cost the company money?

I’ve been doing my own LFT’s but they’re not reliable and would like the regular security of a PCR test which I had before I changed job.

Any advice gratefully received.

I work in the NHS. Largish trust in south of England.

We have to order ours from the government site now.

No more lateral flow tests supplied from the Friday just gone.

So I think YABU. Clearly that’s the way it’s going now.

Agree with @WhatisanODP - am an anaesthetist, also working in icu and haven’t had a single pcr test. LFTs only for us so far.

NHS hear had LAMP testing for months as accurate as PCR lateral flow in addition on request. I work with kids in the community so high transmission but low patient risk group. Clearly like all the NHS it's a postcode lottery

Work for a big private company - we give staff weekly PCR tests and twice weekly LFT

Just lateral flows/LAMP here, critical care sister. Definitely no weekly PCRs for us

Large NHS trust. Twice -weekly lateral flows. We only get PCR tests if we have symptoms.

Thanks for all responses. I have read in to it and it does appear that we are supposed to have the x4 PCR tests given to us, not just random ad hoc as I’ve been told. Which is what my old company did. But it does seems very weird that NHS staff, in higher risk roles aren’t even being given a PCR unless they receive a positive LFT.

@Helpme20

Work for a big private company - we give staff weekly PCR tests and twice weekly LFT

Does your company have to pay to receive the PCR tests you give to your staff?

@PrincessEugenieOfYorkieBar - NO these tests are given to us free by the govt. In fact staff are encouraged to take it even when they are off and they get paid to do it in their free time - just to ensure everyone's safety really. I make sure that all staff are paid when they do it in their own time.

I didn’t realise the government were giving out free PCR to people or private companies with no symptoms unless some kind of pilot scheme? 😐 is this the case? So for free, your company are doing mass PCR testing on asymptomatic staff and no one in the NHS?

Yes everyone in the NHS just has LFT or book their own PCR if positive or symptomatic. As per government guidance. If companies want to buy PCR testing that’s up to them.

www.gov.uk/get-workplace-coronavirus-tests

@Menora - Yes we are a big care company with care homes for elderly, mental health etc. All our staff have to be tested as our clients are vulnerable. It is difficult to get people with dementia to social distance - in a way people in care homes staff are more at risk and vulnerable than the NHS.

@Menora
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/999147/care-home-testing-guidance-england_0207.pdf

Care worker here. We still have PCRs once a week and LFTs twice a week. This is current guidance. Manager orders them and we all get 4 to take home. The NHS and care homes are under different guidelines, though I'm not sure why.

[quote Helpme20]@Menora - Yes we are a big care company with care homes for elderly, mental health etc. All our staff have to be tested as our clients are vulnerable. It is difficult to get people with dementia to social distance - in a way people in care homes staff are more at risk and vulnerable than the NHS.[/quote]
The company I worked for before moving were also a big company across most of the U.K. is just confused as to why my new company won’t give out x4 packs if they’re free. It might just simply be that they don’t want the admin of it though (ie tracking who has/hasn’t tested etc).