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Surge testing in Birmingham zone: Requirement for colleague LAMP testing

April 21, 2021

Birmingham City Council announced last week a surge testing programme for residents and those working within the Ladywood, Jewellery Quarter and Soho wards which includes City Hospital. This is a result of identifying a strain of the coronavirus first identified in South Africa.

There is currently no evidence to suggest this variant is more serious than others, or that the current vaccines would not protect against it.

The surge testing doesn’t change anything for us in terms of provision of services, or movement in and out of the area identified.

The council is working closely with Public Health England and NHS Test and Trace to support measures to curb any potential spread of this variant; this will include significantly increasing the testing offer in a targeted and intelligence-led way.

Residents over the age of 16 who are living or working in Ladywood, Jewellery Quarter and Soho wards are strongly encouraged to take part in the door to door testing when offered, even if they are not showing symptoms.

What this means for you

If you are a staff member who:

  • Works in any environment at City Hospital
  • Has visited City Hospital in the last two weeks

You should arrange collection of the LAMP test kit (if you haven’t already got one) and start to submit your samples as soon as possible. You can book a kit collection slot by calling 0121 507 2664 and selecting option 6, Monday – Friday, 8am – 6pm. Saturdays and Sundays call 07816 992873 or 07970 428995 8am – 4pm.

Some colleagues may be running out of test kits, so please ensure you contact the call centre so that you can collect additional kits. We would also ask all staff working at other sites to undertake regular testing as well via the same route.

In addition to LAMP testing, those staff who live in the affected areas of Ladywood, Jewellery Quarter and Soho wards, including those who are home working or shielding, are urged to get tested following the guidance provided by the council. See the dedicated website for more information. If you are provided with a COVID test from the door to door team you should take this test and return it regardless of whether you are providing LAMP test samples through the Trust.  

Detecting positive cases sooner reduces the risk of the virus being passed on to patients, colleagues, and family members and beyond in the community. Positive tests will need to be sequenced further to help identify further spread. For this reason until the end of next week only, if you have a positive LAMP test you will be required to have a PCR swab test.

Dr David Carruthers, Medical Director shares an update explaining the importance of testing and why we should ALL be testing on a weekly basis.

Regular testing will keep you safe

LAMP testing is a speedy and reliable COVID-19 test which requires you to collect a saliva sample once a week in the morning before you brush your teeth or have your breakfast.  When you arrive at work, you can deposit your sample into a collection box – and you’ll receive your result via text message.

We must remind everyone that LAMP testing is open to both clinical and non-clinical colleagues. It is vital that we continue to test despite colleagues having had the COVID vaccination and infection rates starting to drop.

Please drop off your sample into phlebotomy department Monday – Friday from 7:30am – 3:30pm in the following locations:

  • OPD first floor Corridor D Sandwell Site
  • Ground floor BTC
  • Ground floor Rowley Regis Hospital
  • First floor Neptune Health Park
  • Second floor Lyng Health and Social Care Centre
  • Victoria Health Centre
  • Oldbury Health Centre

Alternatively you can drop off your samples in the LAMP collection bins at Sandwell outside the Bryan Knight Suite, outside pathology or A&E.

At City, the LAMP collection bins can be found outside pharmacy main spine, outside pathology and A&E.

Further information on LAMP testing can be found in the attached FAQs.

Watch our animation on how to take part in LAMP testing or read more here.