Change to referral process for Covid Medication Delivery Unit (CMDU)
The referral process for access to the Covid treatment pathway (CMDU) is changing.
This is a pathway that supports non-hospitalised patients who are at high-risk of developing severe complications from Covid, despite being vaccinated. Patients who are eligible for this pathway have previously been written to by NHS England, however a full list of highest-risk patient groups can be found on the Department of Health & Social Care website (www.gov.uk/government/publications/highest-risk-patients-eligible-for-covid-19-treatments-guide-for-patients/highest-risk-patients-eligible-for-new-covid-19-treatments-a-guide-for-patients).
Originally, on testing positive for Covid, patients would be required to contact 111 before being passed through to the LCHS Operations Centre and then transferred to the LCHS Clinical Assessment Service (CAS). However, this was leading to some patients being passed back through to Practices or misdirected to their local urgent treatment center. The process has now been streamlined and patients can now self-refer by contacting the LCHS Operations Centre directly, before being passed through to CAS for onward assessment and treatment if deemed necessary.
The new process will be live from Monday, 14th October 2024.
Breakdown of the new process
Patients are to contact the LCHS Operations Centre on 0300 123 4868. When the patient calls the Operations Centre, a Service Advisor will ask them a set of eligibility criteria questions for the Covid treatment pathway. If the patient meets the criteria; they will then be transferred to the LCHS CAS for clinical assessment and onward treatment. If they do not meet the criteria, but feel unwell, they should contact their GP/111 for review.
Should patients contact the GP Practice first, Practices can share the LCHS Operations Centre telephone number (0300 123 4868) with them to self-refer.
