Services Database Lateral Flow Testing in Community Pharmacy (Southampton Area)

This Service aims to identify asymptomatic residents thorough a targeted approach to community
testing, which will require those that are spreading the virus unknowingly (and their close contacts),
to self-isolate.
This service also aims to increase awareness of key COVID-19 related messages that keep individuals
and communities safe e.g. ‘hands, face and space’ and to mitigate impact of COVID-19 by making
lifestyles changes e.g. stopping smoking for higher risk residents who are identified opportunistically
by Community Pharmacy.
The Service Objectives are:
• To identify asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 within the population, to ensure that they selfisolate to reduce transmission to other people.
• Improve awareness of key messages around keeping safe and mitigating health harm in
higher risk residents.2
• To learn from the service, to inform any further local, regional or national roll out of testing
programmes.
Service description/pathway
• This service requires the Community Pharmacy to deliver a service for asymptomatic testing
for COVID-19 of eligible patients, using an LFT device.
• The service will be delivered in Community Pharmacies across Southampton City (need per
area determined by Council), operating up to 7 days per week.
• The pharmacy will deliver the service in line with this specification, the Standard Operating
Procedures (SOP)(Appendix A) and any current or future guidance.
• The Community Pharmacy will provide support and advice to the patient, including referral
to other services where required e.g. referral to stop smoking services.
• The Community Pharmacy must be able to demonstrate that all staff delivering this service
are competent to provide the service.
• The Community Pharmacy should have Risk Assessments in place for staff (Appendix B).
These should include the strict use of appropriate Infection Prevention Control measures
(IPC), crowd management and appropriate and safe use of consultation rooms; including
waiting for tests or test results.
• Pharmacies will offer a user friendly, non-judgmental, patient centred and confidential
service.
• There must be a sufficient level of privacy and safety in which to provide the service and so
Community Pharmacies will be required to have a consultation room for the patient to
perform the test in.

Community pharmacies providing the end-to-end COVID-19 testing service, using an LFT device
must complete training prior to performing any elements of the testing service with eligible
patients.
Training includes:
• National LFT process training videos
https://go.tessello.co.uk/TestDeviceTraining/Login.aspx
▪ LFD process training
▪ LFD results recording training
▪ Infection prevention and control
▪ Guidance on self-swabbing