Free Lateral Flow Tests - from pharmacy?

[Gurberly]

Hi

I used to be able to order free LFT from the gov/nhs website as it used to have an option for immuno supressed peeps. However it seems that option has now been removed?

It does say "You can pick up free rapid lateral flow test kits from a local pharmacy if you’re eligible for COVID-19 treatment"

Has anyone managed to get a free one direct from a pharmacy? Is there a process or form for it or is it a case of trying to impress upon the pharmacy staff your eligibility?

Regards

[DorsetLady]

this is what NHS England states -

How to get free COVID-19 rapid lateral flow tests if you're eligible

If you are eligible for COVID-19 treatments, you can pick up free COVID-19 rapid lateral flow tests from your local pharmacy.

Someone else can collect free tests on your behalf, for example, a friend, relative or carer.

Anyone collecting free tests on your behalf needs to give the pharmacy your details, including your:

full name

address

date of birth

NHS number

medical condition(s) to confirm your eligibility

If you’ve been sent a letter or email from the NHS about COVID-19 treatments, this should be shown to the pharmacy to help confirm your eligibility more easily.

Try it and see -

[Gurberly in reply to DorsetLady]

That's the article I had found. My local village pharmacy wasn't aware of the changes, so I printed a copy off and left it with them to read/

I'm in town tomorrow so may pop into the bigger Boots pharmacy to see if they can sort me out.

[DorsetLady in reply to Gurberly]

Good luck .. it’s very disconcerting when the information doesn’t get through to those you hope it should ..

[2013mayo]

I’ve recently got them from nhs, it must be a very new policy.

[Gurberly in reply to 2013mayo]

I think it changed at some point during November?

[Investigator1]

HI Gurberly. Yes I have managed to get some, the rules changed on November the 6th and yes you’re quite right you can pick them up from a pharmacy. However only certain pharmacies have signed up to it. I went into Daylewis Pharmacy in Richmond and took a letter with my treatment (Rituximab) on it. As I understand after speaking to them the treatment that makes you immune compromised is more important to them than the actual condition because they have a list of treatments to work from but only a limited list of conditions and of course they are treated in different ways. I understand Boots have signed up to it as well. Nick.

[DorsetLady in reply to Investigator1]

That's interesting to know only some pharmacies are signed up - it's a query that has come upon the PMRGCA forum - so if it crops up again I can advise that.

[Gurberly]

The pharmacy in my local Boots were able to sort me out with some lateral flow tests.

They did want details, e.g. name, address, NHS no and drug details so I would suggest having these to hand, or even better a letter from a medical professional including these details.

The process seemed quite new to them as well. The lady who served me had to go and check details several times. I caused a bit of a queue 😇.

[Galaxy2]

Hi there

I have managed to get some but only a box of 5.

Boots have signed up but Ive found some don’t have the stock yet. They do want proof, I initially took my steroid and rituxan cards to show I was on immune suppressants. They wanted a recent letter but I hadn’t received one, informing me of the charges . I then had to return with one of the nhs letters I’d kept showing I was entitled to Covid treatments. Got there in the end!