To ask the Minister of Health, in regards to drive-through COVID-19 testing, to detail (i) the qualifications of staff conducting patient contact swab tests; (ii) whether a medically qualified doctor is always on site; (iii) the percentage of failed tests of completed tests; and (iv) whether the results for each person tested have been shared with their GP, and for an explanation if this is not the case.

(i)Staff working at the fixed testing sites in Northern Ireland come from a variety of non-healthcare backgrounds. Staff perform a facilities management function only and do not complete the swabbing of test subjects on site. They are fully trained to complete the role of working on the national testing programme which is a self-swab service. Staff training includes infection control, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), site management, use of test kits and packaging requirements. Staff deemed competent following training will work within the standard operating procedure of the National Testing Programme;

(ii)There are no medical staff on site in keeping with the requirements of a self-administered testing facility. All on-site staff are regularly supervised by the on-site team leaders and there is one trained First Aider on site each day;

(iii)Testing undertaken through the National Testing Programme is co-ordinated by the Department of Health and Social Care in London. Data in relation to people tested in Northern Ireland is provided daily by NHS Digital to the data warehouse in our regional Business Service Organisation. Information available in the data warehouse at 9 July indicates a calculated void rate of 4%. A specific ‘void protocol’ is operated by the National Testing Programme and people are offered repeat testing if appropriate through this protocol;

(iv)From the 9 July, results of tests undertaken through the National Testing Programme are linked to the test subject’s individual Northern Ireland Electronic Care Record (NIECR) and are therefore accessible to the person’s GP. It is anticipated that a process to upload historical test results to the NIECR will start week commencing 20 July.