7
Conclusion
Twenty-Third Report - Test and Trace up…
Rejected
We asked our witnesses whether these figures meant that NHST&T had been given an unrealistic objective at the outset. The former head of NHST&T told us that it alone could not prevent a lockdown and that it was one of four main tools the Government used to tackle COVID-19. They …
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We asked our witnesses whether these figures meant that NHST&T had been given an unrealistic objective at the outset. The former head of NHST&T told us that it alone could not prevent a lockdown and that it was one of four main tools the Government used to tackle COVID-19. They explained that the other tools available were non-pharmaceutical interventions such as restrictions on movements and social interactions, the government’s vaccine programme, and therapeutic treatments for people with the disease. They also asserted that NHST&T was “never set up to be the single solution to COVID”.11 We therefore asked whether this meant that other tools had failed in their objectives. The Department explained that the balance between these tools had shifted throughout the pandemic and that its focus going forwards would be more towards vaccines and therapeutic treatments. It told us that NHST&T did not have a specific role as this had evolved over the course of the pandemic.12
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Government response AI summary
The government explicitly rejects the Committee's implied conclusion that NHS Test and Trace was ineffective, citing the Canna Model and policy documents to demonstrate its estimated transmission reduction and role in reducing positive cases.
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HM Treasury
11
Conclusion
Twenty-Third Report - Test and Trace up…
Rejected
Academics and experts have consistently noted that the effectiveness of test and trace systems rests on adherence to their requirements and high levels of compliance by members of the public, but these are still low for NHST&T. Of those people experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, only 18% to 33% get a …
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Academics and experts have consistently noted that the effectiveness of test and trace systems rests on adherence to their requirements and high levels of compliance by members of the public, but these are still low for NHST&T. Of those people experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, only 18% to 33% get a test and only 43% fully comply with requirements to self-isolate, though the figure is higher for those who have received a positive test result, at 82–86%. Around 16% of people testing positive, and around 20% of their contacts, do not fully meet isolation requirements. NHST&T is responsible for improving public compliance but currently has no target relating to compliance with self-isolation.20
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Government response AI summary
The government explicitly rejected the committee's conclusion that NHS Test and Trace had not helped break chains of transmission or enable a return to normal life. It cited the Canna Model, estimating a 10% to 28% transmission reduction, and referred to COVID-19 response plans confirming …
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HM Treasury
15
Conclusion
Twenty-Third Report - Test and Trace up…
Rejected
In 2020–21, NHST&T paid £3.1 billion to secure the laboratory capacity to process PCR tests and £911 million for contact tracing, primarily for contact centres.30 In our March 2021 report, we found that NHST&T struggled to consistently match supply and demand for its test and trace services, resulting in either …
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In 2020–21, NHST&T paid £3.1 billion to secure the laboratory capacity to process PCR tests and £911 million for contact tracing, primarily for contact centres.30 In our March 2021 report, we found that NHST&T struggled to consistently match supply and demand for its test and trace services, resulting in either sub-standard performance or surplus capacity. We recommended that NHST&T needed to make better use of the capacity it had paid to create and strike a better balance between meeting surges in demand and maintaining timely services.31 However, NHST&T only used a minority of the laboratory and contact centre capacity that it paid for in 2020–21. In December 2020, the NAO found that, for its laboratories, NHST&T set a threshold utilisation rate of 85%, beyond which it felt they could not operate safely or reliably. By June 2021, this figure had been revised to 80%. However, the Chief Executive of the UKHSA told us that the figure was actually closer to 70%. The percentage of laboratory capacity that has been used is well below this. Between November 2020 and April 2021, the average utilisation of NHST&T’s laboratories was 45% and it does not have a target for their utilisation. Over Christmas 2020, when there appeared to be spare laboratory capacity as highlighted in the NAO report, some aspects of NHST&T’s performance nevertheless dipped as cases rose. For example, it provided only 17% of in-person PCR test results within 24 hours in December compared to 38% at the end of October. While NHST&T does have a 50% average utilisation target for its contact centre staff, the highest achieved was 49% at the beginning of January 2021 and this had declined to 11% by the end of February.32
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Government response AI summary
The government rejects the recommendation for capacity utilisation targets, arguing that PCR labs require an 80% maximum to maintain quality, demand fluctuates, and a minimum target would be impractical and costly.
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HM Treasury
16
Conclusion
Twenty-Third Report - Test and Trace up…
Rejected
The Chief Executive of the UKHSA told us that it was “extremely difficult” to predict how much NHST&T would spend on laboratory and contact centre capacity or what demand would be for these services. Witnesses assured us that arrangements had been put in place for a more flexible approach for …
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The Chief Executive of the UKHSA told us that it was “extremely difficult” to predict how much NHST&T would spend on laboratory and contact centre capacity or what demand would be for these services. Witnesses assured us that arrangements had been put in place for a more flexible approach for both laboratories and contact centres.33 Between September and November 2020, NHST&T set up a cross-government team with commercial and contracting expertise to strengthen contract and operational management. The NAO found that since November, NHST&T had built more flexibility into its contact centre contract to allow it to adjust capacity.34 The former Head of NHST&T told us that NHST&T was working to renegotiate contracts so that it could increase and decrease the number of contract tracers within its national teams far quicker. They told us that, for example, for its call centre staff NHST&T could now flex up to 50% up or down over a four-week period, and up to 100% up or down over an eight-week period.35 Benefits realisation
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Government response AI summary
The government rejects the recommendation to establish utilisation targets, explaining it's impractical due to fluctuating demand and potential compromise of service quality, but confirms UKHSA closely manages contact centre performance and will provide a utilisation update.
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HM Treasury