COVID-19 Testing for Frontline Health Care Staff at Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board
To enable staff to deliver the very best level of care for patients and our communities, frontline health care staff at Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board are set to receive testing via drive-through Coronavirus Testing Units (CTU).
Health care staff, who are eligible for testing, must display symptoms suggestive of COVID-19; a temperature of above 37.8oC or a new continuous cough.
Providing a negative test result to key frontline health care workers is vital in allowing them to return to work much sooner than the 7/14 day self-isolation periods which have been specified.
Based on careful risk assessment, healthcare workers involved in frontline patient facing clinical care working in the following areas will be considered for testing:
-
- Acute Medical Assessment Units
- Emergency Departments
- Critical Care Units/Intensive Care Units
- Primary Care
- Frontline NHS Ambulance staff
- Other departments under the strategic direction of CTM UHB
It is the intention to extend access to testing to other health care staff who are not included in the above groups, as well as to social care staff and these will be phased in as we develop capacity in these Testing Units.
Dr Kelechi Nnoaham, Director of Public Health for Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board said:
“The Staff Testing Units will allow our frontline critical care staff to be tested for COVID-19, in their vehicles, by trained members of staff wearing the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
“Testing staff means that we are building a resilient work force, operating at the maximum possible capacity to deal with this virus. It is essential that we are not losing front line staff, for periods of up to 14 days, who may be fit and healthy enough to work.
“These tests will allow those with negative results, if they are fit to do so, to return to work in our hospitals as soon as possible.
“We remain extremely grateful to our staff for all their hard work in supporting our robust preparations for responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and to our community for their support at this time.”
Please refer to the latest Public Health Wales guidelines if you are worried about symptoms. There is an online NHS Direct symptom checker at www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk or dial 111. https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/latest-information-on-novel-coronavirus-covid-19/
