Recommendation 7

There have been serious and widespread concerns about the lack of timely testing for both staff and the public and inadequate PPE provision particularly in social care.13 When we queried the arrangements for ensuring access to testing, we were told that several bodies were involved, including the Department, Public Health England and NHSE&I. For example, NHS laboratories tested patients and some NHS staff, while other parts of the testing programme were run elsewhere.14 NHSE&I told us it had followed Public Health England’s strategy on whom to test.15 Public Health England clarified that its testing policy in March was based on the limited testing capacity at the time as agreed with the NHS and the Chief Medical Officer.