Supporting you at home
Taking care of your health and wellbeing
COVID-19 Testing Service
We’re doing all we can to take care of your mental and physical health. As part of our commitment to supporting you, you can access a COVID-19 testing service, paid for by the business.
The service delivers an accurate, Public Health England approved, COVID-19 test. The tests are delivered to your home and medical support is provided.
- You can request one test each week
- Test kits can be ordered online
- Kits include everything you need
- Medical support and instruction is provided
- Results are provided within 24 hours of sample receipt
How it works
Order a test online
Return the sample
Results provided
Which test is used?
There are two different tests to identify if someone has, or has had, COVID-19. The first, an antigen test, is designed to show if anyone has the virus at the moment the test is taken. This is the type of test available for you to order. The second, an antibody test, is intended to find the antibodies created during or after the body fights off the virus.
A PCR ‘swab test’ is designed to confirm whether you have the active SARS-Cov-2 virus, or not. A positive result means you had the virus at the time the test was taken. A negative result means that you did not have the virus at the time the test was taken.
A sample of mucus and cells is taken first from the back of the throat and then from a nasal passage. Detailed instruction is provided in how to take the test. The test can cause a ‘gag’ reflex and can cause a little discomfort, momentarily.
The sample is processed by a laboratory and the result is provided directly to our doctors, usually within 24 hours.
A positive result will automatically be notified to Public Health England and you will need to isolate for 10 days from the point symptoms first presented.
Please note, you must not attend any clinic if you have any COVID-19 symptoms. The PCR swab test cannot tell if you have previously had the virus.
How accurate is the test?
The PCR swab test has been shown by our partner laboratory (The Doctors Laboratory) to be 98% sensitive and 100% specific. The Doctor’s Laboratory is UKAS Accredited and is the largest independent pathology provider in the UK.
Given the differing results from the tests, we do not believe that the tests should be provided without individual clinical advice, which is why our testing package includes instruction and guidance from a GP.
Are there any risks associated with testing?
There are very few risks associated with PCR swab testing, although it can cause a ‘gag’ reflex and may be momentarily uncomfortable for some patients.
How long to results take?
The testing process usually take 24-48 hours to complete, from the time you take the test. As long as you return the test sample (via a Priority Postbox) as soon as you have taken the test, you should receive your test results within the next day or two.
Please contact your HR Business Partner at any time for any further information, assistance or support.