Labour MSP warns Yousaf not to introduce charge for lateral flow tests

LABOUR MSP Katy Clark has demanded the Scottish Government permanently commit to free lateral flow testing after the Health Secretary indicated universal provision could be scaled back.

The call came after Humza

Yousaf said such devices would only be “free for any circumstance in which testing is required as part of clinical care” in an answer to her parliamentary question.

It follows the Scottish Government’s strategic framework update last month, which stated that “priorities will move away from the current routine asymptomatic programmes of testing”.

The move has prompted fears free testing will no longer be available on demand to the general population.

Ms Clark, who represents Scottish Labour for West Scotland, is calling for a commitment to maintain free testing in the Scottish Government’s transition plan to be published this month.

“Up to now, the Scottish Government has agreed lateral flow tests should be free at the point of use in line with the principle of the NHS,” she said.

“Why should that principle no longer be followed after this month? Living with Covid must not mean stripping away tests that are vital in keeping people safe.

“Richer people will pay whilst many of the poorest in society will not know if they even have Covid. That’s what ending free testing for asymptomatic people will mean in practice.

“The Scottish Government must rule this out when the full transition plan is set out.”

In his parliamentary written answer to Ms Clark, Mr Yousaf said: “It is important, in line with the principle of healthcare being free at the point of use, that lateral flow device tests should remain free for any circumstance in which testing is required as part of clinical care.”

The Covid-19 Strategic Framework Update, published on February 22, sought input from public health specialists who support a move to focus on protecting those at highest clinical risk, supporting patient care and responding to outbreaks, as we move towards the endemic phase.

A transition plan setting out the next steps for Test and Protect in Scotland will be published later this month.

Ms Clark’s intervention comes after the number of hospital patients infected with coronavirus reached a 13-month high earlier this week.

There were 1,663 people in hospital on Thursday with recently confirmed Covid-19 with 23 people in intensive care. The figure is higher than the Omicron peak of 1,57, recorded in January this year, with more patients in hospital than at any time since February 8 2021, when the total was 1,672.

Figures published yesterday found Scotland has recorded

13,220 new cases in the past 24 hours, down from 14,387 the previous day.