White Hart Clinic

As restrictions begin to ease and we enter a new way of learning to live with COVID-19, Doctor Kalia, our new in-house private GP shares some top tips on the pros and cons of testing and what results mean for patients:

COVID-19 Antibody Blood Tests

The COVID-19 antibody test looks for long term antibodies (known as IgG) in your blood. This test measures whether you have had the virus in the past. Accuracy rate of 99.5% to SARS-CoV-2.

These are the tests currently used by the NHS (Abbott Lab method) and approved by Public Health England and are fully compliant with government guidelines. The test will be carried out by a blood sample taken in clinic by Doctor Kalia.

Results have a maximum 24-hour turnaround time in the laboratory.

COVID-19 Throat Swab (RNA-PCR) Testing 

A throat swab (RNA-PCR) detects if you are currently infected with COVID-19. These are the tests currently used by the NHS and approved by Public Health England and are fully compliant with government guidelines. These tests can be carried out in clinic to help provide a travel and fitness to fly certificate which are issued at no extra cost. For symptomatic patients, these kits can be delivered to your home using a rapid courier service.  

Results have a maximum 48 hour turnaround time.

How will testing help?

• A COVID-19 RNA-PCR Throat Swab will confirm if you are currently infected with coronavirus. You can have this test if you have active symptoms of coronavirus or have recently been in contact with someone who has coronavirus.
• The COVID-19 antibody test will confirm if you have previously been infected with coronavirus and have developed antibodies. The length of immunity and whether you can spread COVID-19 with a positive test is still an evolving science. 
• COVID-19 tests can assist a safe return to work and can be used as part of a Travel/Fit to Fly Certificate.
• Our COVID-19 tests do NOT take vital resources away from the NHS as we use a world-renowned private laboratory in Harley Street. 

See Doctor Kalia at your convenience in his comfortable new clinic space in The White Hart Clinic. London-trained, he practises privately and for the NHS. Experienced in Family and Occupational Medicine including preventative and lifestyle medicine and having worked in the NHS in Barnes, he lives locally in Barnes and has a great understanding of the local area and is well known to the local community. An excellent communicator, with a strong and widely published academic portfolio. He provides flexible face to face appointments and exceptional levels of personalised, discreet concierge-style care.

You can book an appointment by calling reception on 020 8876 9897 or by calling him directly on 07917841483.