Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) have implemented routine local pathways for COVID treatments following the publication of final NICE guidance. The way patients access COVID treatments in South Yorkshire is outlined below.
With the closure of the national digital infrastructure, patients will no longer be contacted directly if they test positive but instead should contact local services,
Therefore, if you are over 16 and have received a letter in June from NHS England that you may be eligible for COVID treatment should you contract the virus, you will need to contact your local GP practice or out-of-hours NHS 111 if you test positive.
To ensure patients access treatment promptly, NHS South Yorkshire has enlisted the services of Primary Care Sheffield to provide a local clinical pathway for oral antivirals and IV treatments from 21 November 2023.
- If you’re over 16 and received an NHS England letter in June indicating potential COVID treatment eligibility upon infection, contact your GP or NHS 111 for referral to Primary Care Sheffield for assessment.
- Primary Care Sheffield will contact you to assess your situation and, if appropriate, provide a prescription for treatment which can be collected at selected local pharmacies. Please see here for a list of pharmacies providing the Covid 19 treatment. Alternatively, you may be assessed as not requiring treatment or be referred for outpatient treatment at a local hospital
- If you are under 16 your paediatric specialist should be contacted to make a referral to Sheffield Childrens Hospital
If you're eligible for COVID-19 treatment, you should keep rapid lateral flow tests at home.
You may be able to pick up free rapid lateral flow test kits from your local pharmacy if you're eligible for COVID-19 treatment.
To find a pharmacy that is providing the COVID-19 Lateral Flow Device Tests Supply Service please search for a Pharmacy near you via the website: Find a pharmacy - NHS (www.nhs.uk) select a pharmacy you would like to attend and click "Treatments and Services" to see if that pharmacy is providing the service.
Look for the heading " Screening and Services" if it says "COVID-19 lateral flow tests (eligible patients) then the pharmacy is providing the service. If this is not listed under this heading go back to the list of pharmacies and look for one that does have this service listed.
Please www.nhs.uk/CovidTreatments for the most up to date and complete information.
PCS to deliver COVID-19 Medicines Decision Unit (CMDU) for South Yorkshire
Primary Care Sheffield has been selected to run the COVID-19 Medicines Decision Unit (CMDU) for South Yorkshire from Tuesday 21st November.
The CMDU is designed to provide access to COVID-19 treatments for patients who are at the highest risk in the community. There is more information on the available treatments at www.nhs.uk/CoronavirusTreatments.
Medicines can be considered for patients aged 16+ under adult services who have tested positive (via a lateral flow test) for coronavirus and meet the eligibility criteria. It is important to note that, to be effective, these treatments must be given soon (within 5 days) after a patient starts to show symptoms. Without a positive lateral flow test treatment cannot be offered.
Patients 16 or under with a paediatrician (including under 18’s still under paediatric care) will be treated by Sheffield Children’s Hospital via their paediatric specialist. They are not eligible for this service.
The CMDU is only for the most at-risk patients – who should already have been told about their eligibility by NHS England in early June 2023. Note that the eligibility is not the same as was agreed for ‘shielding’. A full list of qualifying conditions is attached as an appendix.
Note that up until 5pm on Monday 20th November referrals can still be sent to the current provider -Local Care Direct – at CMDU@lcdwestyorks.nhs.uk.
How to access the service
- Order a stock of lateral flow testing kits to be kept at home via https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test.
- Check eligibility for the service using the appendix below.
- When symptoms appear take a lateral flow test within five days.
- If the lateral flow test is positive contact your GP in opening hours or 111 out-of-hours as soon as possible.
GP practices can refer to us via the attached form. We intend to explore direct booking but due to the short- timescales it will be via email initially. Forms should be sent to pcs.cmdu@nhs.net
The CMDU team will contact the patient by phone within 24 hours to triage them and provide a prescription if appropriate. The service is open Monday- Friday until 5pm and from 2-4pm at weekends.
CMDU may be able to offer treatments to patients who:
- Have symptoms of Covid-19 which have been present for 5 days or less.
- Have a positive lateral test that was done within the last 5 days.
- Don’t need hospitalisation or new oxygen therapy.
- Are one of the very high-risk groups.
- Consent to take Covid-19 treatments.
CMDU may be able to offer treatments to patients who:
- Have symptoms of Covid-19 which have been present for 5 days or less.
- Have a positive lateral test that was done within the last 5 days.
- Don’t need hospitalisation or new oxygen therapy.
- Are one of the very high-risk groups.
- Consent to take Covid-19 treatments.
GP practices can refer via a referral form. We intend to explore direct booking but due to the short- timescales it will be via email initially. Forms should be sent to pcs.cmdu@nhs.net
The CMDU team will contact the patient by phone within 24 hours to triage them and provide a prescription if appropriate. The service is open Monday- Friday until 5pm and from 2-4pm at weekends
FAQs
What should a patient do if they test positive out of hours (evenings, weekends, bank holidays) or when travelling elsewhere in the UK?
Out of hours contact 111. If traveling elsewhere in the UK contact that area’s local medical services or 111 out of hours
If someone is living in/registered with a GP practice in SY ICB but is being treated at a hospital in another ICB, or vice versa, which ICB’s instructions should be followed?
The pathways within that ICB area they reside.
Who can I contact regarding questions on the pathway for COVID-19 treatments?
For treatment contact your GP practice or 111 as above. For general, non-clinical queries contact syicb.communications@nhs.net
