Frustration over delays with Test and Trace data
Slough: COVID-19 data taking ‘five to six days’ to be passed down
The national NHS Test and Trace programme has been criticised for providing delayed and incomplete data on positive COVID-19 tests in Slough.
The national NHS Test and Trace programme has been criticised for providing delayed and incomplete data on positive COVID-19 tests in Slough.
Since September, Slough Borough Council has been running its own local contact tracing system which involves council staff and trained volunteers calling people who have tested positive for the virus.
The system aims to support the national programme, with data being provided from the Government to local call handlers who understand the area and can speak a number of languages.
But the council said its contact tracing efforts are being hampered by the data provided from the Government.
Councillor Natasa Pantelic, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “We’re receiving delayed and incomplete data from the national system at the moment.
“Our performance and public health teams are having to piece together information before passing it on to call handlers. We are also receiving a high number of cases five to six days after a test date and cases that are out of their isolation period.”
However, the council stressed it is able to piece together the information with local knowledge and can handle cases more sensitively than the national team.
A spokesman added: “We have been grouping household cases together to ensure they are not called multiple times by different call handlers, we are providing alternative language speakers for people who need this and we are also providing support and local signposting for residents, e.g. providing information on self-isolation payments, directing people to One Slough and providing isolation advice for their household members.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said the national Test and Trace system is working and processing more than 300,000 cases a day.
A statement said: “Our priority is to curb the spread of this virus and save lives. Local action to tackle outbreaks is crucial, which is why we are working so closely with all local authorities to provide additional support where needed.”