Discovering and selecting a personal coronavirus (COVID-19) take a look at supplier

What non-public COVID-19 testing providers can be found

Not all suppliers provide the identical testing providers. Earlier than you search for a personal supplier, you’ll have to establish what testing service you want.

Pre-departure journey checks (‘match to fly’)

You could want proof of a destructive COVID-19 take a look at earlier than travelling overseas. Suppliers typically name these match to fly checks. The testing necessities are set by the nation you need to journey to, and generally the airline you’re flying with. Personal suppliers providing these checks should meet the federal government’s minimal requirements for normal inhabitants testing providers in an effort to legally present the providers. We don’t at the moment host a separate checklist for ’match to fly’.

Verify the FCDO journey recommendation pages to search out out the testing necessities of the nation you need to go to.

Normal inhabitants COVID-19 checks

Some suppliers provide ‘normal inhabitants’ COVID-19 testing for asymptomatic people who need to e-book and pay for their very own take a look at.

Please word that not all suppliers listed on the final inhabitants COVID-19 take a look at suppliers will provide pre-departure testing and travellers should use the kind of take a look at required by the nation they need to journey to.

How to decide on a supplier

There are a number of steps to take and issues to think about when arranging a personal COVID- 19 take a look at.

Discover a supplier

Discover a non-public supplier providing the testing service you want.

You should use one of many supplier lists on GOV.UK, or discover one utilizing your individual analysis.

In case your take a look at is for journey functions, your journey operator could possibly allow you to discover a supplier.

Verify the supplier is listed on GOV.UK

Shoppers can discover suppliers on the GOV.UK checklist which have self-declared towards the federal government’s minimal requirements. Some suppliers who’ve accomplished the self-declaration have opted to not be printed on the GOV.UK checklist.

There are totally different minimal requirements for various testing schemes – learn extra about minimal requirements beneath.

Which means that shoppers ought to at all times examine the precise checklist for the testing service they require.

Members of the general public are inspired to discover a take a look at supplier through the suitable GOV.UK checklist to make sure they’re self-certified as assembly the federal government’s minimal requirements, though it’s at all times beneficial that buyers perform their very own unbiased analysis earlier than selecting a particular non-public supplier.

Verify the supplier’s phrases and circumstances

Go to the supplier’s web site to examine their phrases and circumstances, and different particulars about their service.

Belongings you’ll need to think about embrace:

• the full price of the testing service
• the place and the way you need to take the take a look at – for instance, a self-swab at dwelling, or supervised at a take a look at web site
• how lengthy you’ll have to attend to get take a look at outcomes
• how the supplier offers with any complaints concerning their service
• what the supplier’s refunds coverage is in case your plans change

Many suppliers ship take a look at kits by put up or courier – it’s best to depart sufficient time to your take a look at equipment to reach. In case you want an in-person take a look at, examine with suppliers straight whether or not that is potential.

Some airways and journey operators provide reductions on journey checks – examine their web sites to search out out extra.

Verify client critiques for the supplier

You’ll want to hold out your individual analysis to examine the supplier’s status. For instance, use client overview web sites, or private suggestions.

The federal government doesn’t endorse, suggest or approve any non-public take a look at supplier.

Minimal requirements and UKAS accreditation

By legislation, all COVID-19 checks should meet sure minimal requirements set by the federal government. Suppliers should additionally full a declaration stating that their checks meet these requirements.

For extra info, and to see the requirements for testing, learn Minimal requirements for personal sector suppliers of COVID-19 testing.

UKAS accreditation

The UK Accreditation Service (UKAS) has been working with the federal government to guarantee the standard of personal COVID-19 take a look at suppliers. In December 2020 the Division of Well being and Social Care (DHSC) developed a 3-stage UKAS accreditation course of.

Suppliers providing pattern assortment (that’s, taking the bodily swab) and/or pattern testing providers are required to use for accreditation from UKAS and should proceed to satisfy excessive requirements and deadlines.

The suppliers listed on GOV.UK could also be at numerous levels of the accreditation course of. They could not have full accreditation. Nevertheless, they are going to have proven compliance with the required minimal requirements as they progress by way of the method.

Suppliers could also be faraway from the lists at any level in the event that they’re discovered to be not complying with the minimal requirements. This contains not assembly accreditation deadlines.

To search out suppliers who’ve achieved full UKAS accreditation, go to the UKAS web site – you’ll be able to search by supplier identify, or the COVID-19 testing service they provide (sampling, point-of-care testing (POCT) or laboratory-based PCR checks).

Lists of suppliers printed on GOV.UK

We publish lists of and details about non-public suppliers who’ve had their self-declaration towards the federal government’s minimal requirements efficiently assessed.

See the checklist of suppliers of normal inhabitants COVID-19 testing – up to date every day Monday to Friday.

There is no such thing as a separate checklist for suppliers providing pre-departure journey checks (match to fly) – learn extra about pre-departure journey checks, and the way you’ll find suppliers providing the service you want.

When suppliers get added to the checklist on GOV.UK

Personal suppliers are added to the GOV.UK checklist as soon as their self-declaration has been efficiently assessed towards the federal government’s minimal requirements for his or her provision of testing providers by UKAS.

Not all suppliers need to be added to the checklist and may choose out of being printed or select to withdraw their itemizing from the related GOV.UK checklist. 

In case you’re a supplier and need to be added to a listing, learn our steerage for suppliers.

Why a supplier may be faraway from the checklist on GOV.UK

Organisations could also be taken off the lists for quite a lot of causes, together with in the event that they’re discovered to be non-compliant with any of the minimal requirements for the take a look at service they’re offering, or when the UKAS applicant is now not assembly their accreditation deadlines. 

Checks which have already been offered and/or taken stay legitimate if suppliers are faraway from the checklist. Personal suppliers will likely be instructed straight after they can now not present testing providers.  

Find out how to report issues with non-public suppliers

In case you’ve had, or are having, a customer support situation with a personal take a look at supplier, it’s best to increase this with the supplier. They’re the first level of contact to assist resolve your drawback. It is best to examine the supplier’s phrases and circumstances to see in the event that they cowl the precise situation you might be experiencing.

If the issue can’t be resolved by the supplier, learn our steerage on client rights, together with info on assist obtainable and helpful contacts. Residents Recommendation could possibly present sensible recommendation in your choices in case you are unsure what your rights are.

As well as, the Competitors and Markets Authority affords a reporting service which allows shoppers to report a enterprise they consider has behaved unfairly through the COVID-19 pandemic.

You can too make a grievance a few take a look at supplier utilizing the NHS on-line suggestions kind. So as to assist us to enhance the service. Nevertheless, please word that we won’t be able to contact a supplier in your behalf, nor can we intervene in any disputes. Issues along with your checks such because the service obtained, an absence of take a look at kits or late or no checks outcomes must be raised along with your supplier within the first occasion. 

What we’re doing to guard shoppers

We monitor points raised by the general public and knowledge submitted by the supplier. We additionally get stories from different key regulatory and oversight our bodies about suppliers. 

If we turn into conscious {that a} supplier just isn’t providing the high-quality service we count on, we could contact them to focus on our issues and counsel methods they’ll enhance.  

If we turn into conscious {that a} supplier just isn’t assembly the required minimal requirements, or that their actions could also be placing public security in danger, we’ll ask them to make enhancements. We may additionally take away their itemizing from GOV.UK. 

In sure circumstances, we’ll assist regulatory our bodies endeavor additional investigation of a supplier and assist any authorized actions or interventions.

The place a supplier has been faraway from the GOV.UK listings, they’ll ask to be reinstated to the checklist by offering proof that they’ve remedied the issue which brought on their elimination.

We’ll have a look at the proof they supply, and put them again into the related GOV.UK checklist if we’re happy that they’ll now ship a high-quality service to shoppers.