Question reference: S5W-29667
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 5 June 2020
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Current status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 10 July 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what provision there is for (a) symptomatic and (b) asymptomatic (i) staff and (ii) patients in COVID-19-free sites where cancer diagnostic tests and treatments take place to be tested for the virus.
Answer
Our testing strategy is firmly based on the advice from senior clinicians and public health experts. The testing of healthcare workers continues to be our priority, and all symptomatic NHS workers or symptomatic household members are eligible for testing.
In addition, on 23 June I announced that we are now routinely testing health care workers where the evidence tells us that it is appropriate to do so, while all health care workers connected to a nosocomial outbreak will be tested regardless of whether or not they have symptoms.
We will also test, on a weekly basis, staff working in specialist cancer units, in long-term care of the elderly, and in long-stay mental health wards. Boards are being asked to start this additional testing by 8 July.
The nosocomial expert group did not consider wholesale routine testing of asymptomatic health care workers to be an effective and proportionate method of tackling nosocomial risk.