Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 11 November 2020
I cannot quite do the maths. It is not a huge proportion, but I can tell you that the estimate we have of NHS staff in emergency departments, as well as surgical and medical staff and front-line paramedics, is 132,500. The estimate that we have of care-at-home staff, including in housing support, in residential settings for learning disability and in personal assistance, is 82,000. That is in addition to some of the other groups that we will talk about.
The two measures that I mentioned are, first, the use of new technology such as robotics in the processing of tests, which increases the number of samples that can be processed—[Interruption.]—I am sorry, but I need to make progress. Secondly, we have the increased use of new test types that do not require lab processes but that give on-the-spot results. Indeed, my colleague Mr Lochhead spoke about some of those test types earlier today, which we will use for students before they return home at Christmas.
Those new test types have lower levels of sensitivity and specificity than the PCR—polymerase chain reaction—test. That does not mean that they have no value or use, but it means that they are not appropriate in certain circumstances or for certain uses, such as in clinical diagnosis, where the PCR test is the right one to use.
In October, we published the clinical and scientific review of our testing strategy, which set out clear clinical advice on the priorities that are to be followed, the most important of those being the clinical care of patients and responding to symptomatic demand. The review also set out how we should prioritise routine testing to mitigate the risk of asymptomatic transmission, with the aim of protecting those who are most vulnerable to the harshest impact of Covid-19.
There are a number of groups to be included as a result. NHS and social care front-line staff are rightly there, alongside care home visitors, emergency admissions and professionals who visit care homes. As I have said in the chamber previously—I think that it was last week—I will come back before the end of this month to set out our clear plan with timescales, test type and test routes for the roll-out of asymptomatic testing to those groups.
I am acutely conscious of the importance not only of delivering on that clear commitment but of doing so in a way that is timely and sustainable. It is a significant logistical and planning exercise in which we need to ensure not only that we can test people but that our turnaround times in the lab processing channels that we use are as good as we need them to be.
I am aware of the time, so I will conclude. I do not think that we will find much disagreement between us in the debate. I am as impatient as everyone else is to have asymptomatic testing rolled out. However, I am as determined as I am impatient that we will do it properly and sustainably. I look forward to returning to the chamber with the plan.
I move amendment S5M-23296.3, to insert at end:
“, with prioritisation of staff groups to be guided by expert clinical advice.”
15:36Motions, questions or amendments mentioned by their reference code.