On 14 April, the UK Health Security Agency updated their infection prevention and control guidance for health and care settings. Social distancing is no longer ‘routinely required’ in GP practices, and practices should assess themselves whether ‘standard infection control precautions’ such as hand hygiene and PPE are needed. This was widely reported as meaning an end to socially distanced seating in GP waiting rooms and across the NHS.
The full guidance is available here.
On 31 March, NHS England and NHS Improvement published a letter to high-risk patients with important information about new treatments for coronavirus. The letter, from National Medical Director Professor Stephen Powis, stated that from 1 April coronavirus symptoms should be checked with lateral flow tests rather than PCR.
Only results produced by a test supplied by the Government will lead to the NHS contacting patients about treatment. Tests bought from a shop cannot currently be registered via GOV.UK or 119 and patients will not be contacted about treatment if they test positive using these tests.