Lateral Flow Device Service
On 31st March 2025, NHS England and DHSC confirmed the service would continue to be commissioned during 2025/26, with the fee for the service increasing to £4.10 + VAT.
UPDATE
There have been changes recently to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance on antiviral treatment for COVID-19 guidance, therefore the following patient cohorts are no longer eligible to receive free LFD tests through the service:
- People aged 85 years and over
- People with end-stage heart failure who have a long-term ventricular assistance device
- People on the organ transplant waiting list
- People resident in a care home who are aged 70 years and over
- People resident in a care home who have a BMI of 35 kg/m2 or more
- People resident in a care home who have diabetes
- People resident in a care home who have heart failure
- People currently in a hospital who are aged 70 years and over
- People currently in a hospital who have a BMI of 35 kg/m2 or more
- People currently in a hospital who have diabetes
- People currently in a hospital who have heart failure
Pharmacy owners are asked to brief their teams on the changes to the eligible patient cohorts for the service, update their standard operating procedure (SOP) for the service and stop supplying LFD tests to the above patient groups by Monday 16th June 2025.
For more information, please click here
