Delivering digital services for NHS Test and Trace

Universal offer

We have implemented digital changes to support expansion of COVID-19 testing to anyone who wants to be tested. This universal offer was enabled for England on 9 April and for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales on 26 April. around 6 million Lateral Flow Device (LFD) test kits were requested between 3 and 09 May. 

Events research programme

We delivered integration on 6 May with ticket booking agents supporting HMG’s events research programme*, which is running pilots to determine the best way to safely re-introduce mass events. This integration enables automatic home delivery of identifiable PCR kits to the people participating in these pilots, facilitating investigation of the effectiveness of test-on-entry protocols. 

*Information about the Events Research Programme (ERP), paving the way for larger audiences to attend sport, theatre and gigs safely this summer - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Self-test results reporting

We extended self-reporting of test results to include early years settings in Scotland on 8 April, primary care in Wales, Local authorities and independent hospitals on 15 April, additional adult social care settings on 25 April, and higher education institutions on 28 April. Self-reporting of results from lateral flow devices is now available in over 20 settings with over 6.5 million results reported via this service each week. 

Variants of concern

We delivered new data flow on 7 April that provides test results from a new type of lab analysis (‘reflex assay’) directly to Public Health England’s national register for notifiable diseases. These new assays enable more rapid identification of COVID-19 cases caused by variants of concern and the new data flow ensures results are rapidly communicated to public health experts

We implemented changes on 17 May that enable samples of interest to be identified at point of test registration, enabling prioritised processing of these samples by analytical labs and faster tracing of individuals that test positive for variants of concern. 

Test ordering for international arrivals

We  have supported expansion of permitted international travel by enabling international arrivals from ‘Green’ countries to order PCR tests for use 2 days after arrival in the UK on 17 May and to register the results of these PCR tests from 18 May.

Testing contracts

Continued to enhance digital capabilities supporting contact tracing.  Enabled ordering of PCR tests for confirmed and self-identified contacts of positives cases in England on April 12. Also delivered facility to capture the ‘trace ID’ on the 15 April to facilitate tracking of if contacts of positive cases have been tested following a request from NHS Test and Trace to book a PCR test.