Test and trace employees spending days doing Zoom quizzes and watching Netflix

CONTACT tracing team leaders have organised Zoom quizzes to keep staff occupied, it has emerged, as tracers struggle to fill their time with work.

Hour-long quiz activities are held by managers working for Serco, which alongside Sitel has been contracted by the Government to run call centres.

This is thought to be a way of helping staff to get to know one another and “refresh” tracing knowledge. Sitel uses different software to host quizzes designed to boost morale.

It was announced last week that the test and trace system would be scaled back, with the loss of 6,000 of 18,000 jobs. The Sunday Telegraph has learnt the cuts will be split evenly between Sitel and Serco.

One tracer from Northampton, speaking on condition of anonymity, said she made 14 calls during 56 days of employment. She said in one recent week, a third of staff had no work at all.

“When I started I was really positive,” she said, “but most days there are no calls. I’d be watching Netflix. You are being paid to do absolutely nothing.” She added many of those she contacted were already isolating as it was a friend or relative who had tested positive.

An NHS tracer in Newcastle said she spent a month trying to book shifts. She once spent 30 hours trying and failing to reach two people others had already attempted to contact. Tracing systems have been riddled with technical issues, with an NHS Professionals tracer claiming the training was “not particularly clear or user-friendly”.

One Serco caller claimed she had multiple issues with her headset and software, resulting in persistent difficulties in making contact calls.

Serco said it had upgraded its software during the pandemic in response to the initial difficulties. The company added that “where we are able to have conversations”, its call handlers had a 93 per cent success rate in persuading people to self isolate.

Sitel Group said that it had a helpline that supported employees regarding human resources issues and technical based queries.