Covid 19
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COVID
At the heart of the return to work is controlling the risk posed by the virus. SKC Occupational Health can help you ensure safe working practices are in place and help deliver a safe return to work for you and your staff.
We are qualified Specialist community public health nurses (that’s what the SCPHN bit after our names means). We can offer specialist knowledge and guidance on Risk Assessment and infection control management including laboratory accredited COVID -19 antigen screening and antibody testing.
We have developed a Covid -19 Health risk assessment tool designed to provide a medical vulnerability risk assessment to support the return to work for employees who may have health conditions that could impact on risk to health when exposed to Coronavirus.
Testing
There are two types of tests.
The Antigen test, a laboratory test, looks directly for the virus’s genetic material (RNA) through a process termed polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
PCR – Throat/Nasal swab, overseen by a Specialist Public Health Nurse OR self-test.
Rapid Antigen – Nasal swab, overseen by a Specialist Public Health Nurse.
SKC Occupational Health has partnered with an accredited laboratory and can offer screening Antigen tests required for travel and sport events.
SKC Occupational Health clinicians will NOT test actively symptomatic clients: If you are symptomatic you can book an antigen test at https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
The Antibody tests are currently being evaluated, no test is 100% reliable. The antibody tests look for evidence that the person has been exposed and has immune antibodies to the virus.
SKC Occupational Health has partnered with an accredited laboratory and can offer screening antibody tests for the presence of IgM and IgG. Please be aware that clinical evidence regarding the presence of antibodies is unclear in relation to immunity protection to COVID-19 and therefore current guidance regarding social distancing and Covid-19 risk management remains unchanged.
SKC Occupational Health can provide some useful guidance and pointers to resources you may not have been aware of, we can offer practical assistance in terms of navigating the new return-to-work landscape.
Looking for Covid -19 Testing for Travel
For Business Travel please take a look at our Covid -19 Testing for Travel page
COVID UPDATE
JANUARY 2021 – UKAS Accreditation
Requirements for private providers of COVID-19 (SARS-CoV2) testing
SKC OH Ltd Stage 2 UKAS Appraisal – Quality Assurance Covid Testing.
As testing for SARS-CoV2 has become more widespread, there has been increasing demand in procuring testing for COVID-19 privately. DHSC has recently introduced requirements for private providers wishing to offer testing of international arrivals (Stage 1 in the process to achieving accreditation). UKAS has been implementing accreditation in a way that testing activity can expand whilst maintaining confidence in the quality.
Through Stage 1: UKAS Application, have set up capability for testing providers to self-declare against minimum requirements through online registration on the gov.uk website. UKAS performs an assessment of the provider’s declaration and where the assessment demonstrates requirements have been met, providers will appear on a published list on the gov.uk website. This was achieved by SKC OH Ltd Jan 2021.
To facilitate the ability to achieve accreditation and to continue to actively demonstrate progress towards achieving UKAS accreditation, a formal second stage (Stage 2 UKAS Appraisal) has been introduced. SKC OH Ltd has achieved Stage 2 appraisal.
UKAS accreditation process for either ISO 15189 or ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation is aiming to be achieved by June 2021. Once UKAS accreditation is awarded, this is the final stage, stage 3.
Partnership
Learn more about what we do and how we do it,
get in touch.
If you have any questions or want to make an enquiry about any of our services please fill out the form and send it in to us.
We are a small business but we aim to get back to you within 1-2 business days.
Thanks Su
Office Hours:
Monday to Thursday // 9 am-5 pm
Friday // 9 am -1 pm
Contact Number: 01235 606080
Did you know?
As experts in public health, we can offer you advice on safely returning to work after the Covid 19 lockdown.
Su Chantry returned to critical care ward work during the Covid -19 Pandemic …. Supporting the NHS during Covid -19
If you would like to read more on the Government Covid -19 test strategy then please read this.