PROFESSOR John Newton, the Government's national testing co-ordinator, has insisted the 100,000 daily testing target was met despite home test kits being counted as they are dispatched rather than when they are returned.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "All the tests are only counted once, and you can count tests when they go out or when they come back in, and whichever way you do it we still meet the target."
He also said the home testing kits are as accurate as those carried out at drive-in centres.
"In the drive-in centres, we've tested whether people could test themselves in their cars or whether they were tested by somebody trained and we found the results were exactly the same, so that gave us confidence that the home testing was a good approach," he said.
NHS staff are "breaking down" on the front line tackling coronavirus and their mental health must be made a priority now rather than when the crisis is over, Labour has warned.
READ MORE: Matt Hancock accused of inflating virus test figure to meet target
Shadow mental health minister and A&E doctor Rosena Allin-Khan has written to Health Secretary Matt Hancock to seek assurances that medics are getting the support they need.
In the letter, she said: "Increasingly, NHS staff are breaking down - I see it first-hand working shifts.
"From a fear of spreading the virus to patients and loved ones, a lack of PPE, an increased workload owing to the number of cases and staff absences, to being redeployed to ICUs and witnessing more patients die - staff are experiencing greater pressure, which is inevitably taking its toll on their mental health.
"At this time of crisis, staff mental health must be a priority now. It simply cannot be an afterthought once the acute stage of the crisis is over."
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel