Organisations across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are working together to improve COVID-19 testing for health and care staff, so more can get back to work helping local people in vital frontline health and care roles.

Around 500 patients and 150 staff are being tested per day via the Peninsula laboratories.

Total testing capacity is now 2,000 tests per day but will be extended to 3,500 tests per day as needed.

Led by the Peninsula Pathology Network, they have agreed a shared approach using a combination of locally and nationally run testing sites (as below), which will:

• Quickly increase the number of swabs for testing being taken

• Ensure results are received as fast as possible

• Reduce journey times for staff who can use their nearest site

• Enable better data collection to identify hotspots and outbreaks

• Simplify the process to speed it up and reduce administration

NHS and care staff – including NHS hospital, community and mental health staff; GPs and practice staff; pharmacists, ambulance workers and care home and domiciliary care staff – in Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly are being encouraged to contact their employer if they need a test.

There are currently two main types of testing facility:

1. In-house laboratories and testing at NHS trusts and foundation trusts, supported by local swabbing centres

• Each of the peninsula’s five acute trusts* has this capability in-house for staff and patients

• As well as their on-site testing capability, there are additional off-site ‘drive through’ swabbing facilities for NHS and care staff (and people in their household) who have been given an appointment via their employer:

o Liskeard and Threemilestone – run by Kernow Health

o Sandy Park, Exeter – Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust

o McDonald’s, Barnstaple – Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust

o On site at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

Results are normally available within 24 hours and are sent to the individual tested and their GP

• Tests are by appointment only

2. Drive-through sites run by Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)

• There are two in Devon for use by keyworkers across the peninsula who have been given appointments, via the local coordination processes or via self-referral:

o Seaton Barracks, Plymouth

o Honiton Road Park and Ride, Exeter

• Each of these sites will also be allocated a mobile unit to provide additional services covering the more rural parts of Devon and Cornwall.

• Yesterday, (23 April 2020), Secretary of State Matt Hancock announced that these facilities would be available to more essential workers, who can self-refer via a Government online portal.

Working together as part of the Peninsula Pathology Network, which was established in December 2017, local partners have put in place referral routes for health and care staff to use the in-house facilities in the first instance, using the additional capacity of the DHSC sites where needed.

Currently, about 500 patients and 150 staff are being tested per day via the Peninsula laboratories. Total testing capacity is now 2,000 tests per day but will be extended to 3,500 tests per day as needed.

Ann James, chief executive officer of University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust and chair of the Peninsula Pathology Network, said: ’Testing plays a vital role in supporting the wellbeing of our health and care colleagues, helping them get back to work as quickly as possible and helping track the spread of the virus. By working together across the peninsula, we are making best use of our combined testing capacity and are making the testing process simple and fast.’

Staff who can use the in-house testing facilities are:

All NHS hospital, community and mental health staff

GPs

People who work in or alongside GP practices

Pharmacists

Care home staff

Domiciliary care staff

Ambulance staff