Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 15
15
In December 2020, the Department announced that it would roll out mass Lateral Flow Device...
Conclusion
In December 2020, the Department announced that it would roll out mass Lateral Flow Device (LFD) testing for schools and colleges in the New Year, building on its earlier use at universities.51 LFD tests give results within 20–30 minutes, compared with the standard PCR swab tests, which must be sent to a laboratory for processing. NHST&T confirmed it was also rolling out LFD tests for key workers, such as in care homes or food processing plants, and for community testing, for people without COVID-19 symptoms.52 To support the roll-out of mass testing, as well as the continued increase in testing capacity, the government allocated a further £7 billion to NHST&T in November in addition to the £3 billion already made available for mass testing for 2020–21.53 The Department informed us that it had already purchased and taken delivery of 384 million LFD test kits, with a further 239 million to be delivered in February. It was in the process of tendering for up to a further 200 million LFD tests by early March.54
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: June 2021 4.2 Regular rapid tests are a vital tool in helping to identify cases of coronavirus that would otherwise not be found. Around one in three cases show no symptoms, and testing with rapid lateral flow devices (LFDs) helps find these cases and prevent the spread of infection. Regular rapid testing was initially focused on asymptomatic NHS and care home staff to support the resilience of health and care services and protect vulnerable people. It was then extended on a targeted basis to settings such as schools, universities and workplaces, and from April 2021 targeted eligibility has been replaced with a universal testing offer available to all. This includes a new pharmacy collect option alongside expanded home delivery. 4.3 Alongside the department’s universal testing offer, it is in the process of reviewing its plan on asymptomatic testing and intend to publish this information, with updates on progress in each setting, and with agreed targets focused on impact and outcomes. 4.4 All plans take account of the performance of available tests. Extensive and ongoing clinical evaluation, and MHRA approval, support the use of lateral flow devices and PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests for asymptomatic people. With some limited exceptions, we have not identified circumstances where LFD testing is not suitable, but its use complements existing regular PCR testing which has higher sensitivity but longer processing times. There are some circumstances where individuals may have physical difficulty in taking LFD and PCR tests and we are rapidly exploring alternative solutions for these groups. LFD testing forms part of a wider strategy to identify asymptomatic carriers, which includes contact tracing (including ‘backward’ contact tracing) and wastewater analysis.