Mystery surrounds the testing at airport
Patients forced to drive 74- mile round trip for swab
swamped with messages of increasing dismay at why local people were not being tested for coronavirus locally.
Sandra McWhinnie revealed: “My son- in- law who lives in Prestwick was sent to Edinburgh.
“He drove past the empty testing place at Prestwick and had to drive another 60 miles to get tested.
“Not great when you’re not feeling well either. Doesn’t make sense.”
And Christine Steel added: “My son and his girlfriend were sent to Glasgow Airport last week.
“They stay in Prestwick.” Jim Wallace said: “I tried to book for Prestwick was told I have to go to Glasgow. Prestwick was open.”
To add to the confusion NHS Ayrshire and Arran, which set up an “assessment centre” at the Ailsa Hospital in Ayr, refused to reveal how many people have been assessed.
That drive- thru facility in the grounds looks abandonded.
Meanwhile, a Scottish Government spokesman said: “We are aware there have been some issues with the UK Government’s booking portal and understand available test centres are generated for users of the online portal based on their postcode and they have an option to select their preferred location. The data exchange from UK Government programme has commenced and we are in the process of quality assurance, testing, and Community Health Index matching.”
Department of Health and Social Care spokesman John
Vizor was pressed several times es on revealing the numbers.
But he would only say: “As we tackle this virus we are e determined to make it fast and d simple for all eligible people e who need a test to get a test.
“Over one million people have been tested and the vast majority report no issues.”
eMy son and his girlfriend were sent to Glasgow Airport last week. They stay tayinPrestwick in Prestwick