Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to reports of limited home testing for COVID-19, what plans they have to simplify the requirements involved in taking a test.

Everyone with symptoms of COVID-19 is eligible for a test, but we know that certain groups or individuals may find access more difficult or be less likely to want to access a test or feel unable to self-isolate. This could be for a combination of reasons, from capability through to personal circumstance.

We are working on a number of policies to address these barriers, such as:

- the NHS 119 call centre uses the Language Line interpreter service and staff are trained to manage language barriers, including through use of this service;

- we have opened new ‘walk in’ local testing centres to make it easier for people without cars to get a test; and

- we are also conducting a targeted evaluation of asymptomatic workers in several high contact professions. In a number of these occupations such as taxi drivers, cleaners and retail assistants, there is high representation of black, Asian and minority ethnic groups. This evaluation is intended to help us learn more about who may be at higher risk from COVID-19 and how to help keep people in professions that come into greater contact with others safe.

We have also created a home testing programme that provides access to testing to anyone, anywhere in the United Kingdom. We are continuously improving the service so that testing is accessible to all. This includes working with a diverse range of organisations to help us making home as easy to access and as user friendly as possible. For example, we are currently working with the Royal National Institute of Blind People to make home testing services more accessible for the visually impaired.