mteb/FeedbackQARetrieval huggingface dataset:
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): getting tested
The testing process
The test involves taking a swab of the nose and the back of the throat, which
can be done by the person themselves (self-administered) or by someone else
(assisted).
The different ways you can get tested are covered below.
Regional testing sites
We are establishing a network of drive-through regional testing sites.
Watch a video explaining the process for drive-through testing:
Coronavirus tests for essential workers
Home testing
Home test kits can be delivered to someone’s door so they can test themselves
and their family without leaving the house. Home test kit availability will be
initially limited, but more will become available.
If you have been delivered a home testing kit or have been given a self-test
kit at a regional test site, here is a tutorial video that supports the
written instructions in your pack, from Dr Amir Khan:
How to take a coronavirus self-test
swab
Mobile testing units
Mobile testing units travel around the UK to increase access to coronavirus
testing. They respond to need, travelling to test essential workers at sites
including care homes, police stations and prisons.
New units are being brought into operation each day.
Satellite centres
NHS capability is being increased by providing test kits directly to
‘satellite’ centres at places like hospitals that have a particularly urgent
or significant need.
NHS facilities
Testing within an NHS facility such as a hospital is available for patients
and some NHS workers.
Across all these testing methods, there is a network of couriers who collect
the completed samples and deliver them safely to one of our laboratories. The
swab samples are analysed at our labs and the result is communicated back to
the individual.
We aim to return test results within 48 hours of a swab being taken, or within
72 hours for a home test.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): getting tested
Arrange a test if you’re an essential worker
The self-referral and employer referral test booking routes for essential
workers are available for England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Self-referral
Apply for a coronavirus test if you’re an essential
worker
You should be able to choose between a drive-through appointment and home test
kit.
Book a drive-through test appointment if you have a verification
code
Employer referral
The employer referral portal allows employers to refer essential workers who
are self-isolating either because they or member(s) of their household have
coronavirus symptoms, for testing.
The employer referral portal is a secure portal for employers to use to upload
the full list of names and contact details of self-isolating essential
workers.
If referred through this portal, essential workers will receive a text message
with a unique invitation code to book a test for themselves (if symptomatic) or their
symptomatic household member(s) at a regional testing site.
In order to obtain a login, employers of essential workers should email
portalservicedesk@dhsc.gov.uk with:

organisation name
nature of the organisation’s business
region
names (where possible) and email addresses of the 2 users who will load essential worker contact details

Once employer details have been verified, 2 login credentials will be issued
for the employer referral portal.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on drivers’ hours relaxations
Drivers’ hours relaxations
If a journey doesn’t fall under the emergency provisions the drivers’ hours
rules must be complied with. If the situation is still urgent and an operator
believes a temporary relaxation of the drivers’ hours rules would be
applicable, they should contact in the first instance an organisation
representative of their part of the broader supply chain. Temporary, urgent
relaxations will only be put in place on a systematic basis and only when
other measures in the supply chain cannot be used.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on drivers’ hours relaxations
Emergency relaxations
Both the GB and EU drivers’ hours rules automatically cease to apply in
emergency situations where immediate preventative action is needed to avoid,
amongst other things, danger to the life or health of people. The definition
of an emergency is contained in domestic legislation (The Drivers’ Hours
(Goods Vehicles) (Exemptions) Regulations
1986 and the Drivers’
Hours (Passenger Vehicles) (Exemptions) Regulations
1970).
The department’s advice about emergency situations is if your journey is
necessary to enable someone to:
1) provide goods or services to protect public health, and/or
2) meet their or others’ basic needs for day to day living, and/or
3) provide medical treatment
and there is a risk of danger to the life or health of people if your journey
is not carried out; then you should make use of the emergency exemption.
Operators do not need to ask the department for a temporary ‘urgent’ exemption
for these type of journeys. The emergency exemptions cease to apply once the
situation is under control and there is no longer a need for immediate
preventative action.
The department would not normally expect drivers in emergencies to:

drive for more than 11 hours in one day
have less than 9 hours of daily rest
work for more than 7 days before the start of the regular or reduced weekly rest (if operating under the EU rules), or
have less than 24 hours weekly rest

In addition, drivers operating under the EU drivers’ hours rules should ensure
they take a 45 minute break after 4.5 hours driving.
The relevant provisions of the Road Transport (Working Time) Regulations
2005 will not
apply, to the extent that they conflict with the requirements of responding to
the emergency. Drivers will, however, remain subject to all other requirements
of the Working Time Regulations in an emergency event.
The practical implementation of any changes should be through agreement
between employers, employees and (where available) driver representatives.
Employers must, where possible, agree any extension of working time with
employees or other workers, before that work starts.
The drivers in question must note on the back of their tachograph charts or
printouts the reasons why they are exceeding the normally permitted limits.
This is usual practice in emergencies and is, of course, essential for
enforcement purposes.
Operators should maintain records of when standard drivers’ hours have been
deviated from, along with a justification of why this was needed. The
responsibilities of operators, transport managers and the wider supply chain
may be examined after the current events. It is important that on subsequent
inspections and checks it can be clear that a relaxation was used
appropriately, was well implemented and in a way to reduce fatigue (for
example in relation to shift patterns).
[GB]: Great Britain
  [EU]: European Union
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on drivers’ hours relaxations
Drivers’ hours rules for goods vehicles
For journeys within Great Britain (GB), either the GB or EU rules may apply.
For international journeys either the EU rules or the European Agreement
Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road
Transport (AETR) may apply. Which set of rules applies depends on the type of
driving and the type of vehicle being used, and, in the case of international
journeys, the countries to be visited.
Most vehicles used for the carriage of goods by road and with a maximum
permissible weight (including any trailer or semi-trailer) of over 3.5 tonnes
are in scope of the EU rules.
Detailed information is available covering the GB, EU and AETR rules.
Information is also available on working time rules. The working time rules
that apply depend on whether you drive a vehicle in scope of the EU or GB
domestic drivers’ hours rules.
[GB]: Great Britain
  [EU]: European Union
  *[AETR]: European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on drivers’ hours relaxations
Health and safety legislation
As well as the drivers’ hours and working time rules, transport operators, as
employers, are required, so far as is reasonably practicable, to ensure the
health and safety of their employees while at work and others who may be put
at risk by their work activities. In addition, they have a legal duty as an
employer to manage risks from fatigue.
That is why when the department does relax the drivers’ hours and working time
rules we remind operators, in our notification of the relaxation, that as
employers, they remain responsible for the health and safety of their drivers
and other road users and that they must ensure that driver safety is not
compromised by expecting them to drive whilst tired.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have issued
advice on managing the risks of fatigue and this includes good practice advice
on shift lengths. HSE guidance on managing shift work advises that employers
should avoid shifts that are longer than 8 hours where work is demanding,
safety critical or monotonous and that they should limit shifts to a maximum
of 12 hours (including overtime). It also advises that they should encourage
and promote the benefit of frequent and regular breaks to reduce the risk of
fatigue.

Drivers’ hours: rules, guidance and list of temporary relaxations

*[HSE]: Health and Safety Executive
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on drivers’ hours relaxations
Relaxation of drivers’ hours rules
This document provides advice on the relaxation of drivers’ hours rules, in
the context of the COVID-19 outbreak. This document should be considered in
conjunction with the extensive existing guidance provided on drivers’
hours.
The drivers’ hours and working time rules are in place to protect road safety
and the working conditions of drivers and to reduce the risk of drivers being
involved in fatigue-related accidents. As such, any relaxation of these rules
should only be considered where genuinely necessary and when other supply
chain management interventions are unable to alleviate issues. The Department
for Transport wishes to make clear that driver safety must not be compromised.
Drivers should not be expected to drive whilst tired - employers remain
responsible for the health and safety of their employees and other road users.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults
Protecting yourself and the person you care for
Maintaining good hygiene practices
Keep up to date with announcements and advice on GOV.UK and follow the latest
advice set out in the guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK
and protecting older people and vulnerable
adults, which includes tips on how to help
protect a vulnerable person you live with.
Cleaning your hands frequently throughout the day by washing with soap and
water for at least 20 seconds or using hand sanitiser is one of the most
effective ways of reducing the risk of infection for you and other people.
This includes when you arrive at the home of the person you care for, if you
do not live with them, or have been out.
The stay at home
guidance provides information on washing your hands, cleaning and disposing
of waste, and cleaning laundry, as well as other information for those living
with a vulnerable person. You should also refer to the guidance on hygiene on
the NHS website.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults
Supporting the person through change
Communication
Changes in routines and care can be particularly stressful for people with
learning disabilities and autistic people, and it is important that accessible
information is provided to support them to understand the outbreak and the
measures introduced. You may also need to consider how to manage behaviour
that challenges, particularly if usual techniques are not appropriate or
possible during the outbreak.
There are some steps you can take and guidance you can follow to support the
person you care for through change:

Try to explain in simple and familiar terms why things are changing, emphasising what will remain normal and how long change will likely last for.
Consider where you can support them to continue doing what they enjoy and that can support their wellbeing. The guidance on mental health and wellbeing offers examples of activities that can be done at home.
The Challenging Behaviour Foundation has helpful resources, including a visual summary of what to do if the behaviour of the person you support changes and begins to challenge.

It is important to use resources which are accessible and can best explain the
outbreak and latest guidance to the person, such as:

easy read overview of COVID-19
easy read explanation of social distancing
easy read overview of shielding the clinically ‘extremely vulnerable’
MENCAP resources
World Health Organization guide to effective hand-washing
Music video made by people with learning disabilities to support effective handwashing
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults
Protecting yourself and the person you care for
Planning in case of an emergency
As set out in the guidance for those who provide unpaid care to friends or
family, we advise all carers to create an emergency
plan with the person they care for, to use in circumstances where other people
may need to help deliver care. Depending on the circumstances, this could be
help from family or friends, or a care provider.
In order to create an emergency plan that fits the needs of the person you
care for, you will need to set out:

the name and address and any other contact details of the person you look after
who you and the person you look after would like to be contacted in an emergency
details of any medication the person you look after is taking
details of any ongoing treatment they need
details of any medical appointments they need to keep
details of their preferences and usual routine

You should also ensure that it is in a format that can readily be shared with
other people who will need to discuss the plan with the person you care for.
For more support on contingency planning, see Carers UK
guidance on practical support and planning in an emergency, including
information about local carer organisations. You can also find information out
about local services on the Carers Trust website.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults
Supporting the person through change
Social distancing
The guidance on social
distancing sets out
the restrictions in place during the COVID-19 outbreak and the reasons for
which you can leave your home.
It is important that the person you care for understands why it is important
to maintain a social distance, and what may happen if they do not. An easy
read
explanation
of the current guidance is available.
However, if the person in your care has a specific health condition which
requires them to leave their home to maintain good health – including if that
involves reasonable specific travel beyond your local area – then they can do
so. This could, for example, include where people with learning disabilities
or autistic people require specific exercise in an open space 2 or 3 times
each day – ideally in line with a care plan agreed with a medical
professional.
Wherever possible, you should support the person to continue their usual
activities outside, in line with the guidance on social
distancing. If it
is not possible to continue their usual activities outside, alternative
arrangements should be considered. These may include accessing online services
such as food delivery or online prescription orders.
You may be able to access help from COVID-19 Mutual Aid
UK which provides voluntary support to those who
are in need. You may want to approach your local authority, who are
strategically supporting these groups, so you can access safe, appropriate
support.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults
Protecting yourself and the person you care for
If you have symptoms of COVID-19
If you or someone in your household has symptoms, you should follow the stay
at home guidance. The guidance provides detailed advice on when and how to self-
isolate and information on cleaning and hygiene.
However, we appreciate that the advice above may not be easy to achieve where
you provide close contact care for a spouse or relative such as washing and
bathing. Where possible and needed, ask friends and family who can support you
in providing care, or find out about local carer organisations at Carers
UK or
through your local authority
You should also review the guidance on social distancing for everyone in the
UK and protecting older people and vulnerable
adults for
information about those people who are considered at increased risk of severe
illness from COVID-19. These people are not being advised to follow the
guidance for clinically extremely vulnerable
groups, but should be
particularly stringent in complying with social distancing guidance.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults
Protecting yourself and the person you care for
If the person you care for is concerned about their usual paid carer coming in and out of their home
The government has issued guidance to home care
providers to ensure that appropriate levels of hygiene are achieved to reduce
the risk of infection. Speak to the care provider about the processes they are
following to maintain good hygiene.
If the person you care for receives regular health or social care from an
organisation, either through your local authority or paid for by themselves, inform their care provider that they
are reducing social contacts and agree on a plan for continuing their care,
identifying essential care tasks that should continue.
As a carer, the guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK and
protecting older people and vulnerable
adults provides
advice on the extra precautions you can take to help keep the person you care
for safe.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults
Protecting yourself and the person you care for
Caring for someone who is clinically ‘extremely vulnerable’ (shielding)
Some people with learning disabilities or autistic people may have a specific
health condition and may be clinically defined as ‘extremely vulnerable’. The
guidance on shielding and protecting the clinically extremely
vulnerable and the
guidance for those who provide unpaid care to friends or
family provides detailed advice on how to care for
someone who falls into this category.
The NHS in England is directly contacting people with these conditions to
provide further advice. If you think the person you care for falls into the
clinically ‘extremely vulnerable’ group and they have not received a letter or
been contacted by their GP, you should discuss your concerns with their GP.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults
Protecting yourself and the person you care for
If the person you care for has symptoms of COVID-19
If the person being cared for has symptoms or is part of a household that is
isolating, you must follow the advice set out in the stay at home
guidance and the Guidance for those who provide unpaid care to friends or
family.
If you do not live in the same home as the person you care for, you should
provide information on who the person should call if they feel unwell, how to
use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service and
leave the number for NHS 111 prominently displayed.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults
Supporting the person through change
Coping with bereavement
It is possible that the person you care for may experience the death of
someone they know during this period or may experience anxiety at deaths
reported in the media. In this instance, it is important to have open and
honest discussions about death and coping with the person you care for.
The links below provide accessible resources to support communicating death to
people with learning disabilities and autistic people:

NHS advice on coping with bereavement
Beyond Words guide for when someone dies from coronavirus
CWP NHS Trust bereavement guide for carers
MENCAP guide to dealing with bereavement
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults
Protecting yourself and the person you care for
Collecting prescriptions if you are self-isolating
If you normally collect prescriptions for the person you care for, you will
not be able to do this if you are self-isolating. Most pharmacies provide a
home delivery service. Telephone them to see if this is available or if there
is another scheme running locally to help you access prescriptions.
Pharmacy delivery services will be under pressure at the moment, so it is
important that you order your repeat prescriptions in good time, to avoid
delays in dispensing. Information on repeat prescriptions and delivery
services may also be available via your GP practice website.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults
Maintaining your own health and wellbeing
It is important that you look after your own health and wellbeing as well as
supporting others you care for, especially given the potential for additional
stresses at the current time and the potential for reduced access to support
such as respite care.
There is information in the stay at home
guidance and the guidance on social
distancing about looking after your wellbeing, as
well as more detailed guidance on self-care and sources of support for mental
health and wellbeing during the
outbreak.
Tips include taking care of your mind as well as your body and getting support
if you need it. Daily physical activity is important for many aspects of
health and wellbeing, including managing stress, encouraging positive
feelings, and promoting good sleep habits. The One You website has suggestions
for exercises you can do at home.
Draw on support you might have through your friends, family and other networks
during this time. Try to stay in touch with those around you over the phone,
by post, or online. Let people know how you would like to stay in touch and
build that into your routine.
Remember it is ok to share your concerns with others you trust and in doing so
you may be able to provide support to them too. There are sources of support
and information that can help, such as NHS recommended
helplines, and the Every Mind
Matters website.
It may also be helpful to contact your local carers support organisation who
can help with contingency planning. You can find out about local carer
organisations at Carers UK. There is also an online forum on Carers
UK.
Accessing alternative care quickly if you are unable to provide care
Having to organise alternative care can be difficult and concerning. Where
possible, you should contact friends and family who may be able to give
immediate help in providing care. You should follow the guidelines set out in
the stay at home
guidance and the Guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK and
protecting older people and vulnerable
adults to
protect those coming into the home of the person who needs care.
If you cannot organise alternative care you can contact your local
authority or health care
provider.
If you do not know how to do this, you can contact NHS 111.
If you need time off work to care for a relative who has symptoms or is
self-isolating
You should talk to your employer about your caring needs and what arrangements
can be put in place. Information regarding statutory sick pay entitlements can
be found in the guidance for
employees.
Some people may be entitled to benefits as a carer, such as Carer’s
Allowance.