Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston has raised concerns over the consistency of coronavirus testing across Scotland.
Questioning the Cabinet Secretary for Health Jeane Freeman at Holyrood earlier this week (Wednesday 1st April), Mr Halcro Johnston highlighted concerns raised with him that some testing was being undertaken too long after symptoms initially appeared, resulting in negative tests. He added that guidance from the Scottish Government giving individual NHS boards flexibility on testing risked there being no consistent approach across the country.
Mr Halcro Johnston has now written to Ms Freeman to further raise his concerns, and to ask the Cabinet Secretary to ensure NHS staff and other frontline workers have priority access to new antibody testing when it is available.
Jamie Halcro Johnston said: “Testing for Covid-19 is an important but limited resource, and it is vital that it is used effectively.
“I am seeking reassurance from the Cabinet Secretary that we will see more consistency across Scotland’s NHS regions when it comes to testing, as the previous guidance from the Government seems to allow a surprising degree of flexibility; flexibility which risks making it harder to get an accurate picture of the impact of the pandemic across the country.
“It risks leaving frontline NHS workers without the confirmation that they had Covid-19, and without the reassurance that they may have some immunity to it, even when they’ve had the symptoms and self-isolated. It also means that, in some cases, a valuable but limited resource is being inefficiently used.
“I am also seeking further clarification on antibody testing, which the Cabinet Secretary accepted would play a “key” role. However, she wouldn’t confirm whether or not NHS staff and other frontline workers would have priority access to the new antibody testing.
“I hope the Health Secretary will be able to give some reassurance to our NHS staff, and other frontline workers such as police officers and carers, that they will have access to these tests when they become available.”
