The unwillingness to use the local knowledge and resources of public health services (‘We have zero information’: GPs in the dark over Covid-19 tests, 6 May) is a key underlying factor of the mistakes the government is making. Government policy is requiring everything to be centralised and given to the private sector to manage, and there lies the problem.
It makes no sense for testing facilities in Gateshead to be standing unused while tests are sent 240 miles down to Milton Keynes for processing, while local people in the north-east wait too long for results, or fail to get them. It makes no sense for the food voucher scheme for deprived children to be hived off to a French company, when councils could have managed it locally. After all, they are the ones who know who these children are.
It makes no sense for the new NHS app to have centralised reporting when the tracing and testing will have to be done locally, and it makes no sense for that tracing and testing to be organised centrally when local public health bodies have the expertise to do it themselves. All the evidence is that the UK is going to end up with one of the worst outcomes in the world. The responsibility will lie with the Johnson government.
Nigel Martin
Durham
• The centralised Covid-19 response is either being led by big consultancies or seeks new IT solutions. It totally ignores existing local infrastructure that is proven to work. It is good to see a rethink regarding care home testing (Public health directors in England are asked to take charge of Covid-19 testing, 8 May).
We are a long way from knowing the scale of impact in the general population of Covid-19. Such information is vital in understanding population immunity and is critical knowledge for decision-makers. Has anyone considered a simple form (electronic or paper) for people who think they may have had the virus to notify GP surgeries about their symptoms?
This information could be added to the patient’s record and coded on to GP reporting systems as confirmed or suspected Covid-19. Data can then be aggregated for decision-makers but, importantly, will show on an individual’s record and is useful for a GP to know. It surely it would be better than nothing?
Liz Haggart
Bearsted, Kent
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