NHS Test and Trace 2020-10-06
2020-10-06
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
NHS Test and Trace was launched in May.
What recent assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the NHS Test and Trace service? The programme aims to contact those who have tested positive for covid-19 and their contacts so they can self-isolate. Four months after launch, more than 150,000 people have been contacted and over 450,000 of their contacts reached.
NHS Test and Trace launched in May. Four months later, more than 150,000 people who have tested positive for covid-19 have been contacted, and 450,000 of their contacts have been reached so that they can self-isolate. We have tested more than 7 million people at least once and many, such as care home workers, more than once.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
Weekly test results are delayed and there is no routine access to weekly testing.
When will the care sector have all the access to testing that it needs on a reliable basis? Providers report delays in receiving weekly test results, lack of access to weekly testing for domiciliary care workers or staff working in supported living environments. Urgent need for regular testing for family members to alleviate isolation.
Supporting care homes through the pandemic and ahead is our priority. We are getting regular repeat testing to care homes. Turnaround times for test results are improving.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific timeline or commitment not provided
Priority
Turnaround Times Coming Down
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
Public health professionals and the ADPH say that funding is insufficient.
Where is the funding coming from to support local authorities with local outbreak management? Public health professionals report delays in receiving weekly test results, lack of access to weekly testing for domiciliary care workers or staff working in supported living environments. Evidence shows local teams are more successful in contact tracing compared to national tiers 2 and 3.
Local authorities received £400 million for local outbreak management. Local systems, with national support, are important for contact tracing.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific response to public health professionals not provided
Local Knowledge
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
Schools in the constituency are closing, impacting children's education.
When will the Secretary of State take personal responsibility? Serco's test and trace has been ineffective. School closures disrupt education and work of parents. Ministers signed off on a flawed Excel spreadsheet. Test and Trace system performance questioned by opposition MPs.
Enabling children to go to school is part of our strategy to tackle coronavirus. The Secretary of State answered questions about test and trace performance in Parliament yesterday.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not address personal responsibility question directly
Strategy
Answered Questions
Response accuracy
Q5
Partial Answer
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Context
Infection levels in York have risen significantly.
Will resources be provided to enable the testing service? Local public health team, university, and labs work together on a programme offering next-day test results and tracers who understand local population flows.
Set-up in York sounds good. Will follow up to ensure joint working between national resources, local expertise, and knowledge is maintained.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific commitment not provided
Follow Up
Joint Working
Response accuracy
Q6
Partial Answer
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Context
Limited capacity at Lighthouse labs and delays in new lab openings.
What additional funding will be provided to increase NHS lab capacity? New labs due in Newport and Loughborough are delayed. As NHS labs take on more testing, extra resources are needed.
Testing capacity has increased from 2,000 to over 200,000 daily. Lighthouse labs and NHS testing facilities play important roles. Huge amount of money is going into the NHS for its response to covid.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific funding details not provided
Testing Capacity
Huge Amount
Response accuracy
Q7
Partial Answer
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Context
Scotland's public health-based tracing service has reached over 95% of contacts, while the Serco system in England has only reached 61%. This discrepancy is critical as effective contact tracing and isolation are key to reducing virus spread.
Why should not tracing in England now be based more on local public health teams given that Scotland's system has a higher success rate?
Since the NHS Test and Trace system began, it has contacted 78.5% of those who have tested positive, and then 77% of their contacts have been reached. Local authority contact tracers are supported in tracing but use local knowledge to increase success rates.
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Assessment & feedback
The answer did not directly address whether the NHS Test and Trace system should adopt a model similar to Scotland's involving more local public health teams.
Response accuracy
Q8
Partial Answer
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Context
There are concerns about creating a two-tier system for tests where some people might have to pay, which could undermine the principle of free access to NHS services.
Will the Minister give us a definitive answer today? Are some people going to have to pay to access moonshot tests?
I do not recognise the suggestion that there could be a two-tier system. Everyone with symptoms can access a test, and targeted testing occurs in high-risk settings like care homes.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not give a definitive yes or no answer regarding whether people will have to pay for moonshot tests.
Did Not Recognise The Suggestion
Response accuracy