Covid-19 Coronavirus

Notification requirements

For medical practitioners |  For diagnostic laboratories | For test providers

For medical practitioners

The registered medical practitioner must orally notify Public Health as soon as is reasonably practicable if they believe the case to be urgent after having regard to the circumstances of the person along with the nature of the suspected disease, infection or contamination; the ease of spread of such; and the ways in which it may spread, prevent or controlled as a consequence.

Otherwise, in either case, a written notification must be submitted to Public Health within 3 days.  This time period beginning with the day on which the registered medical practitioner formed a suspicion that there was a notifiable disease; or an infection which, in the view of the registered medical practitioner, could present significant harm to human health; or contamination which, in the view of the registered medical practitioner, could present significant harm to human health.

What to include

For a patient the notification must include the following information:

  • The patient’s name; date of birth; sex; home address or current residence; telephone number; NHS number; occupation (if considered relevant); the name, address and postcode of their place of work (if considered relevant); relevant overseas travel history; ethnicity; the disease, infection or contamination that is known or suspected; and date of onset of their symptoms

  • The date of the diagnosis by the registered medical practitioner, along with the registered medical practitioner's name; address; and telephone number

With respect to a person who has died who was attended by the registered medical practitioner:

  • The person’s name; date of birth; sex; home address or current residence; telephone number; NHS number; occupation (if considered relevant); the name, address and postcode of their place of work (if considered relevant); relevant overseas travel history; ethnicity; the disease, infection or contamination that is known or suspected; the date of onset of their symptoms; and the date of death

  • The date of the diagnosis by the registered medical practitioner, along with the registered medical practitioner’s name; address; and telephone number

For diagnostic laboratories

All laboratories performing a primary diagnostic role must notify Public Health on the identification of a causative agent.

The notification must be in writing or by e-mail and either

  • Provided within 24 hours if COVID is detected

  • Provided within 7 days beginning with the day on which any other causative agent is identified,

    or

  • If the operator of the diagnostic laboratory considers that the case is urgent, the notification must be provided orally as soon as reasonably practicable

What to include

The notification should include the following information:

  • The person’s name; date of birth; sex; current address or place of residence; telephone number; ethnicity; and NHS number;

    and

  • In the event of a positive test for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID), all of the above plus the person’s email address

  • The diagnostic laboratory’s name and address

  • Information as to the causative agent identified and any details with respect to that agent; the result of any test for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID); the date of the sample or test; the results of any antimicrobial susceptibility test and any resistance mechanism identified in respect of the sample

  • The name and address of the person who solicited the sample or tests

For test providers

All test providers must notify Public Health of any positive test result from a test for either COVID or influenza.

The notification must be in writing or by e-mail and

  • Provided within 24 hours if COVID is detected

  • Provided within 14 days if influenza is detected, beginning with the day on which any other causative agent is identified

A notification for COVID must include the following information:

  • The person’s first name; surname; sex; date of birth; NHS number; ethnicity; current address (including postcode); telephone number; and email address

  • The text provider’s name, the nature of the establishment; specimen identification number (if applicable); specimen type; test method; result of test; data on which test was carried out; and name of the testing equipment manufacturer

A notification for influenza must include, as far as it is known to the test provider, the person's date of birth and sex.

Back to top