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Welsh Health Secretary Jeremy Miles
A TRIAL for rapid testing for bacterial infections is being introduced in community pharmacies and GP surgeries in Wales tomorrow.
The two-year pilot project will provide near-immediate test results without the need for samples to be sent to laboratories.
It makes use of diagnostic equipment bought during the Covid pandemic that has been upgraded and repurposed to test for multiple bacterial infections in community settings.
The project is supported by £734,000 of Welsh government funding and £500,000 from the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Research.
The pilot will focus initially on C-reactive protein (CRP) testing, which helps clinicians identify bacterial infections and make more informed decisions about antibiotic prescribing.
More than 300 community pharmacies and GP practices in all seven health board areas in Wales have expressed an interest in taking part in the trial.
Welsh Health Secretary Jeremy Miles said: “By bringing testing closer to where people live we can improve health outcomes, reduce pressure on hospital services and ensure more appropriate use of antibiotics.”
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