Covid mass testing rollout in Nottinghamshire facing delays

Despite health secretary Matt Hancock saying the tests would arrive last week, Nottingham City Council has confirmed it is still yet to receive any, and it is understood none have been received by Nottinghamshire County Council either.

The council has also not received details on how they are to be used, what the learnings from the Liverpool pilot were, or what outcomes the Government hopes to see.

Since the Government announcement that an initial 10,000 tests were being sent out to each council, the Government has also said it plans to mass test all students wanting to return home, and roll it out in all care homes by Christmas.

The Government also said after the initial 10,000 tests, it would be releasing enough for each council to test ten per cent of its population on a weekly basis.

It is also not yet known when the councils will begin receiving these tests.

A webinar was held last week between Mr Hancock and the local councils hoping to take part in the scheme, but one insider said it had left health experts in the city and county ‘none the wiser’ about how to proceed.

A spokesman for Nottingham City Council said “We haven’t received the test kits yet.

"A webinar did go ahead but it hasn’t moved things forward – we’re still not in a position to say how and when testing will be rolled out.”

Both Nottinghamshire County Council and the Department for Health and Social Care have been approached for comment.