Overview

Lancashire's mass testing model is SMART - Sustained Meaningful Asymptomatic Repeat Targeted testing.  Mass testing using Lateral Flow Tests will be conducted in a targeted manner to respond to high rates of incidence across Lancashire, to support essential services including community groups and volunteers, and vital infrastructure

For some workplaces and services in Lancashire, not all employees, volunteers and community workers deliver their work from an identified location which means that they are unable to engage in repeat testing by lateral flow test onsite.  By engaging in remote testing, Lancashire workplaces and their employees are helping to keep their workforce, customers and service users safe, and reduce infection so that we can return to normality as soon as possible. The testing is completed using lateral flow assay devices (LFDs) on nasal and throat swab samples. This, should a positive result by LFD given, improve virus detection within settings and communities across Lancashire with the overall aim to prevent further transmission and spread.

To engage in this programme, workplaces must identify the employees, volunteers and community workers by completing a Use Case Plan document (XLSX 42.8 KB).  Once this has been approved by the SMART Testing Service, a Commitment form will need to be signed.  This outlines our commitment to you and your requirements for the programme. 

The key objectives of this LFT programme will be to support the aims of the SMART testing in Lancashire strategy by:

• Finding asymptomatic cases in identified cohorts
• Disrupting transmission by isolation, support and contact tracing
• Reducing COVID-19 absence by reducing transmission between staff, and therefore improve resilience within essential infrastructure, key services and volunteer activities
• Learning how to reduce the prevalence of the virus (dependent on a high take-up rate for testing and high levels of self-isolation compliance for those who test positive)