Cloud-based coronavirus test management software, COVID-19 Test Register for Schools launched on 4 January, with the aim of removing the administrative burden of delivering coronavirus testing to schools.

Thomson Screening has adapted its Innovate UK funded COVID-19 SchoolScreener test manager software for use by schools.

The test is available immediately and claims to take an hour to set up. The software is fully NHS and GDPR compliant and results can be stored and destroyed within one month of the testing programme ending.

WHY IT MATTERS

Thomson Screening is used in the NHS to manage and automate requirements for a range of health programmes delivered within schools. Programmes include immunisation campaigns, health needs assessments, vision and hearing screening and the National Child Measurement Programme in England (NCMP).

The platform includes an online parent portal for communication and consent, automated administration, stakeholder reports and audit. 

The COVID-19 Test Register for Schools includes:

• Department of Education consent forms and letters for parents
• Consent and registration management
• Unique Identifier search
• Recording test barcode ID
• Simultaneous use by staff 
• Filtering lists by year group, tutor group or similar categories (including children to follow up from a positive test)
• Reporting at pupil level
• Anonymised reporting at school level: heatmaps for clusters or other warning signs
• Managing on-going testing for specific groups or pupils
• Importing and exporting data via CSV file
• Reporting to Public Health and other bodies, as may be required

THE LARGER CONTEXT

Although the Moderna vaccine became the third COVID-19 vaccine to be approved in the UK today and UK prime minister's aim to vaccinate 15 million people by February, widespread mass vaccination is still months away.

Cases of the new coronavirus variant are steadily increasing, causing a ramp-up in the demand for testing. Today, mandatory COVID-19 testing has been introduced to bolster border measures, with travellers to the UK needing to show negative test results.

ON THE RECORD

Michael Ter-Berg, CEO of Thomson Screening told Healthcare IT News: “We have been seeing substantial demand for our COVID-19 Test Register for Schools with many schools getting in contact ranging from multi-academy trusts to single schools. 

"Schools are finding consent management and COVID-19 data management including reporting to Track and Trace a significant operational burden. We are setting up schools within 24 hours of registering including school-specific reporting such as Heat Maps and automated list management.

“Schools can use Excel to enter COVID-19 test results, but this is slow and there are many other associated tasks including managing consent, parent communications, workflow, data management and reporting. Using software specially developed to automate these processes can take away much of the administrative effort being faced by schools, even at the limited levels they are operating at during lockdown.”