Free Covid Rapid Lateral Flow Test

[Richardmint]

Does anyone know how to obtain Covid Rapid Lateral Flow Tests free-of-charge in the U.K.? The Gov U.K. site says they are not available direct but are available via your local Pharmacy. None of my local pharmacy stores issue these tests free-of-charge under the NHS but are happy to charge £13 each, even for blood cancer patients.

Has anyone else experienced this dilemma?

[Newdawn Administrator]

I’d recommend contacting your local integrated care board Richard. Click on this click. There is a contact link at the top usually with an email address. You’re quite right in saying pharmacies are supposed to dispense these free to the eligible who can produce evidence. Usual case of making us jump through hoops! 🙄

nhs.uk/nhs-services/find-yo...

Newdawn

[Richardmint in reply to Newdawn]

Thankyou Newdawn, I’ve sent ICB an email in the hope I get a positive reply.

[Newdawn Administrator in reply to Richardmint]

Thanks Richard. I do too. Please let us all know.

Newdawn

[mrsjsmith in reply to Richardmint]

Richard as I understand it’s down to the individual pharmacies to sign up to distribution of testing kits. What I noticed recently was that the one’s sent from the NHS were very close to expiry date and some were unusable because the liquid was drying up. I decided to purchase some online from Boots and it will be interesting to see what the expiry date is.

Colette

[Ghounds in reply to mrsjsmith]

I found that too. Had to throw a box away as there wasn't any liquid to process the test.

[mrsjsmith in reply to Ghounds]

Just reading about all the soon to be out of date Paxlovid the NHS have in stock. Depressing.

Colette

[Ghounds in reply to mrsjsmith]

Very. Also the mask mandate being withdrawn from healthcare, it's as if we have no worth and the people who should be invested in keeping us safe don't care.

[mrsjsmith in reply to Ghounds]

My hospital haematology department still insists on mask wearing and we are checked before entering the department, but that may be in part to a very vocal patient group.

Colette

[Leo71 in reply to Ghounds]

I agree about masks; my husband has his regular blood tests at home and now has to supply the community nurse with a mask each time.

[Ghounds in reply to Leo71]

How truly appalling but sadly not that surprising.

[RSilver in reply to mrsjsmith]

I have a friend who just took the expired Paxlovid. It did NOT seem to make any difference at all. Especially compared to the amazing relief it provided me a year ago.

[mrsjsmith in reply to RSilver]

Goodness they shouldn’t have prescribed it if it was out of date.

Sadly I always check everything, especially since a friend and fellow patient was given Venetoclax that was 6 months out of date. Luckily his nurse noticed in time.

[RSilver in reply to mrsjsmith]

Apparently the pharmaceutical company got approval to say that it is still good.

[Ghounds in reply to Newdawn]

I didn't know they were still available free so thank you. They certainly keep that quiet don't they.

[RosettaClapp in reply to Newdawn]

Sadly Somerset ICB could/would not help Just reccomened to shop around local pharmacies. But when I put in a search for 'community pharmacies' I did eventually find a chemist fairly close which had signed up for the scheme(the scheme is voluntary Nd not all rural pharmacies have either the space or the staff to deal with us evidently....)

[Richardmint]

What I’ve learned so far is, yes it is only a few Pharmacies that have signed up to the free distribution to registered patients.

The ICB Integrated Care Board for Berks, Oxon Bucks (Part of NHS) issued a map with the participating pharmacies indicated. A quick ring round did locate one pharmacy that has been set up to issue free of charge Covid Test Packs, they were currently out of stock but were expecting new deliveries this week.

I was also told that Boots also were expecting a delivery under this scheme.

The map can be found on

bucksoxonberksw.icb.nhs.uk/...

Click ‘Your Health’ and then scroll down to ‘Pharmacies offering free Covid-19 tests for eligible patients’

Then click on ‘Map of Pharmacies’

This system looks to be in its infancy and I can only talk from experience with Berks, Oxon and Bucks area, but I would expect it to cover nationwide.

I certainly found it needs a bit of persistence, so best of luck everyone.

[mrsjsmith in reply to Richardmint]

You are lucky your care board has a map. I checked mine and nothing showing or mentioned.

Colette

[Pekingese]

Hi Richard, I’m from the UK and got mine free from boots last week, I took my Hematologist letter in for proof of my CLL . Hope this helps. You will have to fill a form in at the chemist.

[Richardmint]

Thanks Pekingese, I think Boots would be my best source as well.

[RosettaClapp in reply to Richardmint]

Not all Boots chemists have opted into the scheme sadly

[Fran57]

Hi.

Our local pharmacy did provide us with a box of tests, free of charge, thankfully ( and surprisingly).

Our tests (dated Jan. 2024 were beginning to dry up.

Good luck with your mission!

Fran 😉🤞🏻

[stevesmith1964]

£2.15 for flexiflow Covid test from local pharmacy. Cheap I thought considering only use 3 or 4 times a year.

[Dawson21]

Since time to test us important I simply picked up a box of 5 from Boots for < £10. While wearing a mask of course.

[turbomotive60 in reply to Dawson21]

And me a box of 5 for £10 from Boots but you can get them cheaper off Ebay for £7 ..

[Dawson21 in reply to turbomotive60]

Hopefully we won't need too many of these in the future

[Bubnojay]

Thanks for this post, I see that my last half box of tests is due to expire this January too. Of more concern even, is that the haematology nurse has advised that I should stop semi shielding and get out and about and live normally. Hmm, if I were not over 80 and living alone maybe I would.

Bubnojay

[Dawson21 in reply to Bubnojay]

I had similar advice way back - perhaps being of a certain age with the end post on the horizon prompts me to get out and live as normally as possible - make the most of every day as it were - in the end though you have to do what you feel comfortable with

[Admiral1]

hi Richard

In short I was advised by GP that for £30 they would write a letter that I could present to pharmacies saying that I was eligible for free Covid tests. I have taken the opinion that it will be cheaper to buy them.

[Richardmint]

Good news, just happened to pass a Superdrug Store (UK) and after filling out a short profile type form and supplying my NHS No. they were happy to supply me with a ‘Free’ Covid Test kit.

[mrsjsmith in reply to Richardmint]

Result

[prbs2707]

Hi. My local pharmacy provides free tests for immunocompromised. I thought they all did!

[Shooey]

hi, only two of the 5 pharmacies listed on the government website in my area are partaking in the scheme. Tried Well pharmacy, brilliant, bar code zapped and I was away. Boots was a little more a case of I will not be defeated and I will persevere, finally got a box of 5 today only to be told that I can only have one pack of 5 per month. Ok, maybe I’m the over cautious type but I generally test at least twice a week and did so more over the holiday period.

I’m fortunate that I can afford to buy them but am sure that for some CEV people this is an expense they can’t afford.

Were sensible mitigations in place throughout the population, especially healthcare I might slightly relax my attitude but that’s not going to happen is it.