TestCard teams up with London hospitals to launch a digital lateral flow Covid-19 testkit

Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust has partnered with West Hill portfolio company TestCard and SureScreen to create an innovative mobile app that makes recording Covid tests easier for both staff and patients.

The new smartphone app supports Covid testing, aiming to lead to dramatically improved patient safety and flow, whilst helping to support the trust during the tough winter period.

TestCard’s ClearScreen turns a smartphone into a clinical-grade scanner that can capture and analyse lateral flow tests quickly and easily, removing the need for manual interpretation and result recording. After verifying that all steps have been undertaken correctly, the app delivers a positive, negative or invalid result.

Hospital visitors are currently required to take a lateral flow tests and then report the result to staff but the new app enables visitors to authenticate themselves with a unique QR token. Results data is recorded in the hospital NHS electronic patient records, and is fully compliant with Public Health England’s reporting requirements. Visitors can therefore take the test at home before attending the hospital, helping to save time for staff that currently manage the testing on behalf of visitors.

Dr Rahul Batra, clinical innovations and disruptive technologies lead in the Centre for Clinical Infection and Diagnostics Research at Guy’s and St Thomas’, said: 

“We have worked closely with TestCard and SureScreen to not only create a highly sensitive and specific LFD but to also develop the corresponding reporting application that allows for the trained users to administer the test, return a standard interpretation and provide an automated and reviewable result to the patient record.

“As LFD testing is now a core component of any patient pathway at Guy’s and St Thomas’ requiring an admission, a significant procedure or an intervention involving the airway, we feel that the introduction of this application will lead to improved patient/visitor flow and safety, thus allowing us to offer a wider range of inpatient and outpatient services to our community.”

The trust will initially pilot the solution in the inpatient department and plans to extend it to out-patient and day-case appointments. It will also be used by hospital visitors. The extended roll-out will allow for visitor numbers to be increased, after limiting them to halt the spread of Covid.

TestCard Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Andrew Botham, chief scientific officer and founder of TestCard, commented: 

“It is our hope the work we have done with Guy’s and St Thomas’ will support hospitals during the Winter period and beyond. Visitors can perform the testing in the comfort and convenience of their own homes whilst ensuring the results produced are reliable, cutting out stress for them and hospital staff. For inpatients, the solution tests and records results with a level of accuracy and traceability hospitals do not currently have.”

West Hill Capital have financed TestCard with over £4.5million equity capital in two oversubscribed investment rounds. The Company has received further investment from NeoVentures and its primary UTI offerings are now offered through numerous pharmacies online and instore.