Test And Trace Not 'Fit For Purpose, Let Alone World Class', Says NHS Providers Chief
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The government’s coronavirus test and trace system is not yet “fit for purpose, let alone world class”, NHS Providers’ chief executive has said.
Chris Hopson, whose organisation represents all NHS hospital, mental health, community and ambulance services, said England would face a “big problem” if ministers do not get a grip on the scheme by winter.
He said the service needs to boost the proportion of infected people being brought into the system and giving contact details, and to ensure more people isolate, so the government can stay on top of Covid-19.
Speaking to the all party parliamentary group on coronavirus on Wednesday, Hopson also backed calls for the government to offer financial support to those who are contacted by NHS test and trace and told to self isolate because they have been in contact with someone who is infected.
And he said the service needs to be better at reaching into deprived and Black and ethnic minority (BAME) communities which have seen local outbreaks.
Boris Johnson has insisted NHS test and trace is “world beating” but figures released last week showed it is still failing to reach thousands of Covid-19 patients and their contacts to ensure they self isolate.
The Department of Health and Social Care statistics showed that, between July 23 and July 29, just 72% of positive cases were contacted by NHS test and trace, which is chaired by Tory peer Dido Harding.
In turn, contact tracers were only able to reach 72% of Covid-19 patients close contacts.
The numbers represent a percentage fall from the previous week, when 81% of positive cases were reached and 76% of their close contacts were reached.
Hopson said an NHS Providers survey due to be published this week will show that many trusts “are not particularly happy and not particularly confident” in the service.
He told MPs: “When we get to winter,...
