Coronavirus: Test and trace system not expected to be ‘world-class’ until September, leaked comments suggest

Report says senior official admitted service would be ‘imperfect’ and ‘clunky’ at launch

The NHS Test and Trace system, which has been set up to prevent a second wave of coronavirus infections, is not expected to be “world-class” until September or October, according to leaked comments from a senior official.

Tony Prestedge, the chief operating officer of the scheme, is reported to have admitted in a video message to staff that the system will not be working at full speed for months.

The apparent admission came after the prime minister, Boris Johnson, claimed the UK would have a “world-beating” test and trace system by the start of June.

“I am sure when Dido [Harding, the chief executive] announces this service later she will make clear that it is an imperfect service at launch that we will improve over time and make it world-class by the time that we are moving towards the September or October time,” Mr Prestedge said, according to The Guardian.

“We know it will be imperfect, we know it will be clunky but we ask you to help us improve the service.”

Although top scientists have warned lockdown measures should not be eased until an effective contact tracing system is in place, the UK government announced a loosening of restrictions and rolled out the system across England last week.

The NHS system aims to contact anyone who has been in close contact with those who have tested positive for Covid-19 and then asks them to self-isolate.

Caroline Lucas, the Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion, said the reported comments were “truly shocking”.

“Scientific advisers have said an effective test & trace system is essential before further relaxation of lockdown — yet, despite [Matt] Hancock’s bluster, apparently we won’t get it for months,” Ms Lucas said.

Mr Prestedge, a senior banker who was called in to work on the programme, also reportedly said in the video on 27 May that he expected the system to run for 24 months, with initial test results taking two to three days to arrive.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson insisted the NHS Test and Trace system was “up and running” and “helping save lives”.

“Anyone in this country can now book a test and the majority who book a test get the results back within a day,” they said.

“We have over 25,000 contact tracers in place, who have all been trained and are fully supported in their work by public health experts.”

Earlier this week, Baroness Dido Harding, the head of the programme, was criticised for refusing to give MPs any data on the first six days of the new service.

Baroness Harding said she was working to validate performance data when MPs asked for information on how many patients had been contacted within 24 hours and how many were willing to share their contacts.

Jeremy Hunt, the chair of the Health Committee, warned a lack of transparency risked “destroying confidence” in the system and suggested people might think data was not being shared because it was not positive.

“It’s a six-day old service, and therefore there is work to do to make sure that we validate the data sources,” Baroness Harding told the committee.