Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 196
196
Accepted
During September 2020, the Science and Technology Committee heard from Baroness Harding that NHS Test...
Conclusion
During September 2020, the Science and Technology Committee heard from Baroness Harding that NHS Test and Trace had “planned for a sizeable increase” but that she “[did] not think anybody was expecting” the level of demand experienced.301 She explained one reason for the surge was that a proportion of ineligible individuals were showing up to receive covid-19 tests: we have been running some surveys […] 27% [of visitors to walk-in testing sites] said they were there because they had been in contact with someone who had tested positive, but they did not have symptoms themselves.302 This should not have been quite so unpredictable given previous advice by the then Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to get a test “if in doubt and if people think they might have the symptoms”.303 The demand for testing might also have been compounded by an issue later raised by Professor Sir John Bell that “95% of people with [perceived] symptoms do not have the disease”.304
Government response summary AI-generated
The government accepts the recommendation, agreeing on the importance of robust plans and capabilities to rapidly scale up test, trace, and isolate programmes in future emergencies. It details UKHSA's current surge capacity (700k-800k PCR tests/day and 2.5m LFD tests/day) and commits to continuing capacity development and ensuring a resilient, scalable infrastructure.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted
The government accepts this recommendation. The government agrees with the Committees that it is vital to ensure that, in future health emergencies, the UK has robust plans and the capabilities to rapidly scale up test, trace and isolate programmes. The government has already taken steps to ensure that the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has the capability and capacity to maintain central surge capacity for testing and contact tracing during a public health emergency. UKHSA has the capacity to conduct 700,000 PCR tests per day and scale this up to 800,000 PCR tests per day in 72 hours. UKHSA also has the capacity to deliver 2.5 million Lateral Flow Device (LFD) tests per day. The government will continue to develop its capacity to enable early and effective detection of disease through testing and surveillance, and to intervene to stop the spread of infection through contact tracing and isolation. Looking ahead, the government will ensure that a resilient and scalable infrastructure is in place to protect the public from new and existing threats to health, building on the legacy of the response to this pandemic as set out in the ‘Living with COVID-19’ strategy.
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