Testing for COVID-19 - looking after yourself and your team (pdf, 103 KB)
Please download and print off the poster at the link above so you and your colleagues have all the information you need about staff testing for COVID-19.
It is important that anyone who is not feeling well understands that they must not be in work.
This also applies if a member of your household has symptoms of COVID-19 - you must stay at home. Please apply for a test as soon as you or they develop symptoms.
If you have access to the Trust intranet from home please use the staff online booking service: COVID staff testing website. If you haven't used this website before you will need to register first.
If you do not have access to the Trust intranet from home you can set up a virtual desktop on your own PC or device - instructions are here. Once connected you can access OUH Staff COVID testing as usual from:
https://covidapp2.mmmoxford.uk/
from within the virtual desktop (please copy and paste this address into your virtual desktop session).
If you cannot access the intranet, please fill in a test request form via the links below:
Tests are based at John Radcliffe Hospital testing site and, when available, at the Horton General Hospital. You must not use public transport to travel to a test. Please phone 119 if you cannot get to a test safely.
Testing is available to all staff, PFI colleagues and clinical students on site.
Having a test at our Trust sites is often more convenient for you, helps us to monitor where cases of COVID-19 in staff arise in the Trust, and enables rapid contact tracing.
If possible, please use the Trust service. However, if you develop symptoms, the most important step is to self-isolate immediately, get tested promptly (either at the Trust site or via NHS Test and Trace), and remain away from work until you receive advice about your result.
Reporting absence
If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or a household member does, follow your normal process to report an absence.
For all OUH directly employed or Retention of Employment (RoE) staff, this means contacting FirstCare to notify them of your absence as you would normally.
If you are absent from work for more than 50 percent of your rostered day, you need to contact FirstCare on 0333 321 8086.
For all PFI staff, please report your absence through your normal reporting routes.
If healthcare workers are providing direct care to a patient with COVID-19, or are exposed to a positive staff member and are wearing the correct PPE in accordance with the current IPC guidance, they are
not considered to be exposed.
PCR tests are offered to all staff in an area if there are multiple cases in a single area involving staff and or patients.
Antibodies are detected from day 14. If you are enrolled in the asymptomatic staff testing programme, you may book a slot.
Note that most antibody tests do not pick up vaccine immunity, as they measure N protein antibody and not spike protein antibody... and so a negative test is not a cause for concern.