STAFF carrying out coronavirus tests have been told to knock off early on some days because labs cannot handle the workload, a whisteblower claims.
They are told to cap the number of samples taken at 250, despite the urgent demand to monitor frontline workers. And they reach that limit by 2pm or 3pm, the insider says.
Many tests have to be sent to Northern Ireland for analysis — with some even going by ferry.
The insider at the drive-through centre in Greenwich, South East London, said: “There are 20 to 30 of us working here at any one time. We’re all incredibly frustrated that at times we’re not doing anything.
“Several days over the last week we’ve been told to cap it at doing no more than 250 tests a day. But we could do double that.
“We’ve been told not to do any more because there’s not enough capacity in the labs where our samples are sent.
“It seems crazy. The Government vowed to do 100,000 tests a day but then we’re being stopped from doing more than we could do.
“We are so keen to do more tests but some days we get to about 2pm or 3pm in the afternoon and we have to stop.”
The tests at Greenwich are manufactured by Randox.
The swabs are then sent 500 miles by Royal Mail by ferry or air to the company’s labs in Co Antrim.
Samples from other sites in London were said to be being analysed more than 400 miles away in Glasgow.
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Last night, Lib Dem Health spokeswoman Munira Wilson said of the whistleblower: “This is yet further evidence that the Government should have been better prepared. It is simply ludicrous to have a London test centre not working to capacity and tests potentially being delayed because they are being sent to Belfast.
“This is symptomatic of the Government’s slow and chaotic response.
“The public deserve answers, not least why testing in the UK is so low compared to some countries.
“These revelations strengthen the case for an independent inquiry, once we are through this crisis, to officially review the Government’s actions.”
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has admitted hitting his target of 100,000 tests a day by Thursday will be challenging.
Soon after he set it, pictures appeared from around the country of near-empty test centres, including stadium sites in Twickenham, Coventry and Brighton.
To add to the problems, until last week, key workers who wanted to be tested had to approach their employers.
They then arranged the test through crisis planning bodies called local resilience forums — set up in 2004 to help co-ordinate responses to emergencies such as pandemics, flooding and terrorism.
The Government published a list of the forums but there is no mention of Covid-19 on many of the forums’ web pages.
And last week, it emerged that consultants Deloitte — who played a key role in setting up the drive-through centres — were being criticised after test results of NHS staff were lost or sent to the wrong people.
Frontline NHS staff showing symptoms were first tested at the end of last month, followed by other healthcare workers including GPs and paramedics.
Those that tested negative were allowed to return to work.
Last week, the programme was widened to allow all key workers who suspect they or their families may have Covid-19 to be tested. Under the new system, employers and staff can apply online for a test directly.
However, Downing Street has admitted that there is no way of checking whether those applying for a test are genuinely eligible.
Yesterday, long queues built up at some drive-through sites after 46,000 people tried to book tests.
Home-testing kits became unavailable yesterday, with 5,000 allocated within two minutes.
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Dr Simon Eccles, the chief clinical information officer at NHS Digital, tweeted: “Home kits all booked by 8:15!
“I know it’s frustrating but we’re developing more lab, supply and logistics capacity every day.
“If we’d waited until we had the full 100k, to launch, no one would have had a test today.
“More home kits again tomorrow, even more next week.”
Figures from the Department of Health showed there were 28,760 daily tests carried out for coronavirus on 23,115 people. However, the figures only go up to 9am on Friday so do not cover the new regime. The full impact of the new system is expected to take a few days to filter through.
The network of 30 drive-through centres is soon to rise to 48 and so-called Lighthouse Labs will start work in Milton Keynes, Glasgow and Alderley Park in Cheshire.
An 18,000-strong force to trace the contacts of those infected is also being trained.
A Department of Health spokesman said: “Testing sites across the country have capacity for hundreds of tests a day and the North Greenwich site has exceeded 250 tests a day more than once this week.”
ARMY-run mobile testing hubs will be deployed by the start of next month to get more frontline staff back to work.
The 96 stations will set up at care homes, police stations, prisons, benefits centres and fire stations.
Currently in Salisbury, Southport and Teesside, they take just 20 minutes to set up and can do hundreds of tests a day. Results take 48 hours.
Testing Minister Lord Bethell said: “Everyone who needs a coronavirus test should be able to have access to one.
“We now have the ability to provide more people with the certainty they need to get back to the front line when it is safe to do so.”
The Royal Mail said transporting tests was done after consultation with chief medical officer Prof Chris Whitty.
It added: “All Royal Mail Group networks are being used to get testing kits back to Northern Ireland, either via ferry or flight.
“The testing kits are packaged safely for the appropriate classification. The health of our colleagues is our first priority.”
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We are backing a proposal by Lord Ashcroft to honour our health heroes with the gallantry gong given for acts of bravery that did not take place in battle.
A No10 spokesman said: “The NHS is doing a fantastic job and the nation will want to find a way to say thank you when we have defeated this virus.” SAS hero Andy McNab added: “The award of a George Cross would show an emotional appreciation.”
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