TWO MORE TEST CENTRES IN CITY
Sites set to accept walk-in patients too
TWO more coronavirus test centres are to be created in Stoke-on-trent.
The Sentinel can reveal talks are under way to establish the testing centres, which will also offer walk-in appointments.
One will be in the north of the city, the other in the south, with the exact locations yet to be revealed.
It comes as frustrated families have spent days online or on the phone attempting to book tests at the existing centres at the bet365 Stadium; Fenton Manor; and Ryecroft, in Newcastle.
Dr Paul Edmondson-jones, Stokeon-trent City Council’s director of health and social care, said: “In terms of increasing testing capacity, we are hoping in the next few weeks to have a local testing centre which allows walk-in testing in the north of the city, and another one in the south of the city.
“We hope to have those up and running by early to mid-october.”
Latest figures show the bet365
Stadium carried out 930 tests on August 17 – at the height of the Normacot outbreak. But there were just 138 tests carried out in the week ending September 15.
A report to the council’s cabinet states: “There has been a significant reduction in testing capability nationally over the last two to three weeks due to a national shortage of
laboratory capacity. This has affected testing locally and the number of tests carried out at the bet365 Stadium.”
The council introduced the temporary Fenton Manor test centre on Mondays and Tuesdays this month after residents were offered appointments in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The council report continued: “We hope to keep the Fenton Manor testing facility going for as long as we can until we can expand the local capacity further.
“On Monday, a significant number of tests were released to the Stoke City site. We need to see if this was just for one day or if this will be sustained.”