A DRIVE-through coronavirus testing site has opened in Liskeard to enable frontline health and care staff to get back to work more quickly.

The facility will make it easier for staff who up until now have had to travel to Plymouth to be tested.

Cornwall’s NHS says that a shared approach between national and locally run testing sites, led by the Peninsula Pathology Network, will: quickly increase the number of swabs for testing being taken; ensure results are received as fast as possible; reduce journey times for staff who can use their nearest site; and enable better data collection to identify hotspots and outbreaks.

NHS and care staff – including NHS hospital, community and mental health staff, GPs and practice staff, pharmacists, ambulance workers and care home and domiciliary care staff are being encouraged to contact their employer if they need a test.

There are currently two main types of testing facility across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly:

1. In-house laboratories and testing at NHS trusts and foundation trusts, supported by local swabbing centres. As well as their on-site testing capability, there are additional off-site ‘drive through’ swabbing facilities for NHS and care staff (and people in their household) who have been given an appointment via their employer: this includes Liskeard. Results are normally available within 24 hours and are sent to the individual tested and their GP and tests are by appointment only.

2. Drive-through sites run by Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). There are two of these in Devon for use by keyworkers across the peninsula who have been given appointments, via the local coordination processes, or via self referral. Each of these two sites will also be allocated a mobile unit to cover the more remote rural parts of Devon and Cornwall.

It was announced yesterday by the Health Secretarfy that more essential workers would be able to self-refer to the DHSC testing sites via a Government online portal.

Currently, about 500 patients and 150 staff are being tested per day via the Peninsula laboratories. Total testing capacity is now 2,000 tests per day but will be extended to 3,500 tests per day as needed.

Kieran Bignell, Consultant Paramedic and Head of Integrated Urgent Care in Cornwall added: ’We know our dedicated staff are working extremely hard so we wanted to make it easy and fast for them to be tested for COVID-19. Our in-house testing is for any frontline health or care workers, including NHS hospital, community and mental health staff, GPs, pharmacists, ambulance workers and care home and domiciliary care staff. If you are eligible and are symptomatic, contact your employer for a referral.’

Staff and keyworkers can only attend an in-house or DHSC testing site if they have been given an appointment – people will not be accepted without one.

For staff who can’t get to testing sites, mobile and postal testing will be available.

A wider list of essential workers can access the DHSC testing provision.

Notes to editors