Coronavirus testing centre to open at Black Country super hospital site
A coronavirus testing facility is to open at the site of a super hospital being built in the Black Country.
NHS staff and other frontline workers will be tested at the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital in Smethwick, on an appointment-only basis.
The launch of the drive-through test centre is part of the Government's effort to test thousands more NHS staff, following criticism the process has been too slow.
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PCR swab tests - which are used to identify if someone has Covid-19 - will be given to key workers, starting with NHS frontline staff.
Ministers say this means those who test negative for coronavirus can return to the frontline, and those who test positive can focus on recovering.
Health Minister Lord Bethell said: “The Government is rapidly scaling up the national effort to boost testing capacity for coronavirus to protect the vulnerable, support our NHS, and ultimately save lives.
“This new service will help end the uncertainty of whether NHS and social care staff need to stay at home meaning those who test negative will be able to return to work.
“This is a national effort and we are proud to be working with a number of partners to turn this ambition into a reality and roll out additional capacity to where it is needed.”
Professor John Newton, national co-ordinator for the UK Coronavirus Testing Strategy, said: “New testing sites such as this one are a key pillar of our five-pillar plan to scale up testing, and are critical in supporting NHS staff who are isolating at home to return safely to work if the test is negative.
“This is a brilliant example of industries and businesses turning their resources to creating and rolling out mass testing at scale, which will help to deliver on our aim of carrying out 100,000 tests a day across the UK by the end of the month.”
Warley MP John Spellar said it was also important transport workers keeping Britain moving during the crisis were tested.
The Labour MP, who said he backed leader Sir Keir Starmer's call for the Government to publish its lockdown exit strategy, told the E&S: "There is a real desire by the combined authority and the hospital to add to the list of key workers transport workers keeping the system running.
"This facility will enable not only NHS staff and care home workers to get tested but vital transport workers."
The Midland Met testing centre is being operated in partnership with Serco, and is offering self-administered tests. Those tested will receive their results within a few days.
