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@profchrisham @ONS There are 4 Pillars. Pillar 1 labs test the Swab by a technique called RT PCR, to see whether the patient has current infection with #SARS_CoV_2. This test is delivered by NHS and PHE labs. Pillar 2 labs do the same but are delivered by the Private Lighthouse labs. 1/n
@profchrisham @ONS 2/n The Pillar 1 labs declare their testing rate, & are a correct number of tests processed. Pillar 2 labs declare the tests processed AND the tests they have sent out. Test sent out should not be counted. Pillar 2 total tests are misleading. gov.uk/guidance/coron…
@profchrisham @ONS 3/n @profchrisham Pillar 3 testing is for antibody tests, to see whether you have had #SARS_CoV_2. These are mostly processed in NHS labs and the numbers are correct. But it is meaningless to add them to the number of RT PCR tests
@profchrisham @ONS 4/n Pillar 4 tests is research. Looking at novel Tests such as to see whether you have the infection, or to see whether point of care testing for antibodies, using finger prick samples, can be used. Again, theses tests numbers should not be included in the total test numbers
@profchrisham @ONS 5/n So for today 24th June. 232,086 tests have been declared. But 45,784 plus 12,260 = 58,044 RT PCR tests performed and 35,006 antibody tests performed. The Pillar 1 NHS/PHE labs know exactly how many people were tested, but the Pillar 2 private lighthouse laboratories do not
@profchrisham @ONS 6/n What is wrong? The numbers of tests declared is unhelpful. We need clarity of the number of RT PCR tests undertaken, the quality framework (including where the result goes) and the turnaround time. The @RCPath document outlines the quality framework rcpath.org/uploads/assets…
@profchrisham @ONS @RCPath 7/7. Once we understand the actual numbers of RT PCR testing delivered, ensuring compliance with @RCPath quality guidelines, Pathologists need to speak with Public Health leaders & Test and Trace leaders to see whether the diagnostic support is good enough. If not,make it better!
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