Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of covid-19 tests ordered by Public Health England for care home or Housing with Care residents and referred to a private contractor result in the patient being tested.
COVID-19 tests that are ordered by Public Health England (PHE) for care homes or housing with care home residents are not referred to a private contractor.
Testing arranged by PHE in care homes or settings with social care service users is focused on identifying and responding to outbreaks and will use either PHE or NHS England laboratories.