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| Coronavirus: Time short on test, track and trace - NHS leaders | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Time is running out to finalise a test, track and trace strategy to avoid a possible second surge in coronavirus cases, NHS bosses have said. | |
| The NHS Confederation warned of "severe" consequences to staff and patients if the right system was not established quickly. | The NHS Confederation warned of "severe" consequences to staff and patients if the right system was not established quickly. |
| It said lockdown measures should not be eased until a clear plan was in place. | It said lockdown measures should not be eased until a clear plan was in place. |
| It follows the PM's pledge to introduce a "world-beating" contact tracing system in England from June. | It follows the PM's pledge to introduce a "world-beating" contact tracing system in England from June. |
| Contact tracing identifies those who may have come into contact with an infected person - either through an app or by phone and email - so they can avoid potentially passing the disease on. | Contact tracing identifies those who may have come into contact with an infected person - either through an app or by phone and email - so they can avoid potentially passing the disease on. |
| Niall Dickson, chief executive of the confederation, which represents health and care leaders, welcomed Boris Johnson's pledge made at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday. | Niall Dickson, chief executive of the confederation, which represents health and care leaders, welcomed Boris Johnson's pledge made at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday. |
| But in a letter to Health Secretary Matt Hancock, Mr Dickson said without a clear strategy the UK was at greater risk of a second peak of the virus. | But in a letter to Health Secretary Matt Hancock, Mr Dickson said without a clear strategy the UK was at greater risk of a second peak of the virus. |
| He said a test, track and trace strategy should have been in place sooner and if the right system was not instigated rapidly the ramifications for the NHS "could be severe". | |
| Speaking on the Today programme, Mr Dickson said: "We are absolutely clear that contact tracing is the right thing to do, it is absolutely critical, it has got to be in place to prevent any notion of a second surge if the lockdown is being further released." | Speaking on the Today programme, Mr Dickson said: "We are absolutely clear that contact tracing is the right thing to do, it is absolutely critical, it has got to be in place to prevent any notion of a second surge if the lockdown is being further released." |
| He added the government was acting "quite late in the day [and] we haven't yet seen the detail". | He added the government was acting "quite late in the day [and] we haven't yet seen the detail". |
| Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers - a membership group for England's NHS trusts - told BBC Breakfast his members have "not had clear information and instructions about what their role will be" in the system. | Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers - a membership group for England's NHS trusts - told BBC Breakfast his members have "not had clear information and instructions about what their role will be" in the system. |
| Security minister James Brokenshire said Mr Hopson's comments "will not be lost on anyone" at the Department of Health - and will be followed up on "at pace". | Security minister James Brokenshire said Mr Hopson's comments "will not be lost on anyone" at the Department of Health - and will be followed up on "at pace". |
| The Department of Health said it would set out details about test, track and trace in due course and it had recruited 21,000 contact tracers with "thousands more to follow". | |
| On Wednesday, Mr Johnson said 25,000 contact tracers, able to track 10,000 new cases a day, would be in place by 1 June. | On Wednesday, Mr Johnson said 25,000 contact tracers, able to track 10,000 new cases a day, would be in place by 1 June. |
| It coincides with the earliest possible date for the gradual reopening of schools and non-essential shops in England. | It coincides with the earliest possible date for the gradual reopening of schools and non-essential shops in England. |
| Northern Ireland already has a telephone contact tracing system in place, while the Scottish government is currently trialling one. The Welsh government wants its programme operational by the end of May. | Northern Ireland already has a telephone contact tracing system in place, while the Scottish government is currently trialling one. The Welsh government wants its programme operational by the end of May. |
| One of the government's most senior scientific advisers previously said an effective tracing system needed to be in place before lockdown restrictions could be changed. | One of the government's most senior scientific advisers previously said an effective tracing system needed to be in place before lockdown restrictions could be changed. |
| Health leaders not yet reassured | Health leaders not yet reassured |
| What this letter indicates is that, for all the rhetoric, the NHS Confederation does not yet believe that the government has a robust plan for virus testing and tracking of contacts of those who are infected. | What this letter indicates is that, for all the rhetoric, the NHS Confederation does not yet believe that the government has a robust plan for virus testing and tracking of contacts of those who are infected. |
| And that comes even after the prime minister's statement that such a programme will be in place by 1 June with 25,000 contact tracers appointed. | And that comes even after the prime minister's statement that such a programme will be in place by 1 June with 25,000 contact tracers appointed. |
| A widespread testing and tracing system is seen as a necessity if lockdown restrictions are to be further eased, including the reopening of schools. | A widespread testing and tracing system is seen as a necessity if lockdown restrictions are to be further eased, including the reopening of schools. |
| The confederation, which represents health leaders and organisations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, does welcome Mr Johnson's commitment to a testing and tracing programme. | The confederation, which represents health leaders and organisations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, does welcome Mr Johnson's commitment to a testing and tracing programme. |
| But tellingly it notes that its members are not yet reassured, and that if there is not rapid action there could be a second wave of infections and serious consequences for NHS patients and staff. | But tellingly it notes that its members are not yet reassured, and that if there is not rapid action there could be a second wave of infections and serious consequences for NHS patients and staff. |
| Mr Brokenshire said the contact tracing system will be in place on 1 June - with or without an NHS tracing app which will be rolled out "in the coming weeks". | Mr Brokenshire said the contact tracing system will be in place on 1 June - with or without an NHS tracing app which will be rolled out "in the coming weeks". |
| The University of Nottingham's Prof Keith Neal said the app would be most useful if people were out in public at places such as supermarkets. | The University of Nottingham's Prof Keith Neal said the app would be most useful if people were out in public at places such as supermarkets. |
| "That's where the app comes in because it will allow later on to identify who you've been in contact with but don't know their name or phone number," he said. | "That's where the app comes in because it will allow later on to identify who you've been in contact with but don't know their name or phone number," he said. |
| "We can do contact tracing even without the app because that is a matter of finding the most high-risk contacts in close and prolonged contact, and you tend to only have close and prolonged contact with people you actually know." | "We can do contact tracing even without the app because that is a matter of finding the most high-risk contacts in close and prolonged contact, and you tend to only have close and prolonged contact with people you actually know." |
| Contact tracing for coronavirus began when the UK identified its first two cases at the end of January. | Contact tracing for coronavirus began when the UK identified its first two cases at the end of January. |
| But it was stopped in mid-March after England's chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty, said it was "no longer necessary for us to identify every case". | But it was stopped in mid-March after England's chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty, said it was "no longer necessary for us to identify every case". |
| On Wednesday, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer challenged Mr Johnson over that decision, describing it as a "huge hole in our defences". | On Wednesday, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer challenged Mr Johnson over that decision, describing it as a "huge hole in our defences". |
| In response, the prime minister said he was "confident" that England would have a track and trace operation which would allow the country to make "progress". | In response, the prime minister said he was "confident" that England would have a track and trace operation which would allow the country to make "progress". |
| The government's surveillance programme shows the number of coronavirus cases in the community has stayed relatively stable with one in 400 people in England infected. | The government's surveillance programme shows the number of coronavirus cases in the community has stayed relatively stable with one in 400 people in England infected. |
| The Office for National Statistics surveyed nearly 15,000 people between 4 and 17 May, finding 0.25% of the participants tested positive for Covid-19 - down from the 0.27% figure last week. | The Office for National Statistics surveyed nearly 15,000 people between 4 and 17 May, finding 0.25% of the participants tested positive for Covid-19 - down from the 0.27% figure last week. |
| It suggests about 137,000 people in England could currently be infected. | It suggests about 137,000 people in England could currently be infected. |
| Latest figures show the total number of people who have died after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK has reached 35,704. | Latest figures show the total number of people who have died after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK has reached 35,704. |
| Contact tracing is already being used in Hong Kong, Singapore and Germany. | Contact tracing is already being used in Hong Kong, Singapore and Germany. |
| Content available only in the UK | Content available only in the UK |
| In other developments: | In other developments: |
| Have you applied for contact-tracing jobs? Do you live on the Isle of Wight and use the NHS contact tracing app? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Have you applied for contact-tracing jobs? Do you live on the Isle of Wight and use the NHS contact tracing app? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |