Clarification on asymptomatic testing for social care staff (Added 1 April)

As soon as possible

The Scottish Government has advised that daily asymptomatic (work day) LFD testing will no longer be required and social care settings should revert back to their routine, baseline asymptomatic testing as soon as this is possible. This is either a weekly PCR or twice-weekly LFD (apart from adult care home staff who will continue to test with a weekly PCR and twice-weekly LFD).  

This approach to testing in social care has been informed by clinical advice and is subject to ongoing review. LFD tests are extremely effective at picking up the virus in asymptomatic individuals, specifically when they are most infectious and therefore more likely to pass it on to others. This is considered proportionate while still offering sufficient protection to those at highest risk.

From Monday 18 April

The role of Covid-19 testing is changing from population wide testing, to targeted testing to support clinical care. The Scottish Government approach to testing in social care has been informed by clinical advice and is subject to ongoing review.

Based on this advice, regular asymptomatic testing will continue for parts of the health and care workforce. This is primarily in settings which are still considered high risk and/or where those using services are deemed to be at a higher risk of hospitalisation from Covid-19.

Testing will stop for staff groups in settings that are now deemed to be lower risk and/or in services which do not involve close personal care and contact or where clients are no longer at a higher risk of Covid-19.

For pathways/services continuing to test, we are moving away from using PCR testing (with the exception of adult care home staff) and asking staff to test twice weekly with LFD tests.

As stated, LFD tests are extremely effective at picking up the virus in asymptomatic individuals and specifically when they are most infectious and therefore more likely to pass it on to others.

Providers with excess LFD stock can pause their deliveries by calling the NSS helpline on 0800 008 6587.

For an overview of the social care asymptomatic pathways and changes in these pathways from Monday 18 April, click here.

Introduction of Test and Protect transition plan (Added 16 March 2022)

The Scottish Government published its Test and Protect Transition Plan. The Transition Plan set out the timelines for moving away from population-wide testing aimed at reducing transmission, towards a more targeted approach to testing. A notice explaining this can be found here.

Introduction of Orient Gene 7s LFD kits (Added 12 August 2021)

The Scottish Government has advised us that Orient Gene 7s LFD testing kits are being introduced. These new kits will begin to be distributed week beginning Monday 16 August when guidance and training materials will also be published here. All existing Innova 25s stock must be used up first. Please note you should enter the LOT number from the box when recording results on http://www.covidtestingportal.scot/. If you currently receive PCR kits, you will continue to do so and guidance remains unchanged.

Scottish Government update on testing (Added 16 July 2021)

The Scottish Government has updated its guidance on testing in care homes and adult social care as follows.

Care home staff

Care home staff – discretion to allow staff one LFD test per week at home using LFD test kits approved for self-test at home once available (most likely during August)

Coronavirus (Covid-19): adult care home lateral flow device testing

Care home visitors (friends/family)

Family/friend care home visitors - discretion to allow LFD testing at home where tests are collected through the community testing route.

Coronavirus (Covid-19): adult care home lateral flow device testing

Social care staff (excluding care homes but working in the services listed below)

Discretion to allow staff two LFD tests per week at home using LFD test kits approved for self-test at home once available (most likely during August). This is not applicable to staff who undertake PCR tests.

Coronavirus (Covid-19): social care and community based testing guidance

Social care staff

  • short break/respite services
  • Independent Living Fund Scotland assessors
  • social workers
  • learning disability settings
  • women’s shelters
  • personal assistants
  • care inspectors
  • care at home
  • sheltered housing and housing with multiple occupancies
  • adult day centres/adult day care services

LFD staff testing notifications guidance (Added 15 April 2021)

Following the introduction of regular LFD (Lateral Flow Device) testing for staff in a range of settings and services, we wanted to provide some clarification on which notifications to use following the outcome of tests:

LFD positive test for one or more staff – Please complete Covid-19: outbreak – notification of suspected case. Only one ‘notification of suspected case’ is needed even if several people have a positive LFD test.  Staff who have a positive LFD test must then arrange to have a confirmatory PCR test.

If the outcome of the subsequent PCR test(s) is positive – Please complete Covid-19: outbreak – notification of confirmed case for each individual who has a positive PCR test.

If the outcome of the PCR test(s) is negative – Please complete Covid-19: outbreak – end of suspected case(s).

Weekly testing for agency staff deployed to care homes for adults and older people (Added 24 July 2020)

The Scottish Government has issued guidance to ensure that all staff deployed to care homes for adults and older people from staffing agencies are tested for Covid-19 prior to deployment. They request that agencies provide assurance that a process is in place for testing staff prior to deployment to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Friday 31 July. You can access the guidance here.

Testing staff in care homes (Added 24 July 2020)

The Scottish Government testing directorate asks care homes to complete a weekly ‘safety huddle’ template on staff testing. There have been some inconsistencies in recording of the number of staff eligible for testing and the number of staff who have declined tests.  For clarity:

Recording of number of staff eligible for testing – Only staff who are at work in the care home should be included and those staff who are not at work for any reason should be excluded from this number e.g. annual leave, sick leave, days off, self-isolating or working elsewhere.  Staff who have previously tested positive and have returned for work are also excluded from this number as they are currently not included in the staff testing programme

Recording of number of staff who decline testing – Only staff who are eligible for testing as defined above that have declined testing should be included.  Staff who are at not work or staff who have previously tested positive should not be included in this number. 

You can find further guidance and the weekly template here.

Guidance from Health Protection Scotland on Covid-19 in care homes (Added 14 July 2020)

Health Protection Scotland has published guidance for PCR testing in care homes and the management of Covid-19 PCR test positive residents and staff.

Letter to all care homes on testing from Scottish Government (Added 23 April 2020)

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport Jeane Freeman has issued a letter for care all care homes to provide further details on procedures in place for testing care home staff and residents for Covid-19. You can read the letter here.

Interim guidance on Covid-19 PCR testing in care homes (Updated 16 May 2020)

Health Protection Scotland has released Interim guidance on Covid-19 PCR testing in care homes and the management of Covid-19 PCR test positive residents and staff. 

You can view the guidance here.