As essential workers, community pharmacy staff are eligible for priority Covid-19 testing through the government’s employer referral system.
Employers can refer self-isolating community pharmacists for virus testing, the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has said.
Pharmacy contractors can refer their pharmacists for testing if they are self-isolating because either they or members of their household have coronavirus symptoms, the pharmacy body added.
The employers can refer those self-isolating pharmacists by uploading their names and contact details on the secure employer referral portal.
If symptomatic, those referred essential workers will then receive a text message with a unique invitation code to book a test for themselves or their symptomatic household members at a testing site.
To get a login to the employer referral portal, pharmacy contractors should email portalservicedesk@dhsc.gov.uk with the following information:
- organisation name
- nature of the organisation’s business
- region
- names (where possible) and email addresses of the two users who will load essential worker contact details
Once employer details have been verified, two login credentials will be provided for the employer referral portal.
