Pause in Scottish Government’s routine COVID-19 guidance across health, social care and prison settings

• The Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care, the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs, and the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport have agreed to pause all Scottish Government routine COVID-19 testing guidance across health, social care and prison settings. An exception to the pause is for individuals in hospital, prior to being discharged to a care home or hospice; this routine testing will remain.
• This decision has come about following advice from Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection (ARHAI) Scotland, Scottish Government Professional Clinical Advisors in Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) and Public Health Scotland (PHS) who have reviewed the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic and the efficacy of current testing protocols.
• This includes pausing the testing of symptomatic health and social care staff. Staff should adhere to the NHS Inform Advice on managing symptoms of a respiratory infection.
• Testing for COVID-19 will remain to support clinical diagnosis and remain for outbreaks as per the National Infection Prevention and Control Manual.
• These changes should take effect no later than 30 August 2023.
   

Received from: Kim Horner (she/her), Social Care Immediate Response and Improvement Division, Directorate for Social Care and National Care Service Development, The Scottish Government – 6th floor, Atlantic Quay, 150 Broomielaw, Glasgow, G2 8LU