Coronavirus: North East 'heading for catastrophe unless tests improve'

Gateshead's Martin Gannon believes testing should be organised by local health teams

The North East of England is "heading towards a catastrophe" if problems with the coronavirus testing system are not solved, a council leader has warned.

Gateshead Council's Martin Gannon claimed a mobile testing unit provided by a private company is "like a Del Trotter Enterprises van" from comedy Only Fools and Horses.

He wants control of testing to be handed to North East health chiefs.

The government said new labs were being opened to meet demand.

Tighter coronavirus restrictions were brought in at midnight across the Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland, Northumberland, South Tyneside, North Tyneside and County Durham council areas.

Councillor Gannon welcomed those measures but hit out at a mobile testing centre operating at a car park in Gateshead, which arrived 24 hours late on Sunday after dozens of people had to be redirected to Newcastle.

'Completely failing'

He said: "We have got our hands bound behind our backs and a blindfold on because we cannot get tests. There are really significant problems with the test system.

"I visited the mobile test centre. It was like a Del Trotter Enterprises van. The whole system is completely failing.

"I'm not having a go at staff or that particular company. Testing needs to be devolved from multiple private sector companies to local public health.

"We have got the expertise but we need money and test kits. We're heading towards a catastrophe until they [government] recognise that."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman told the Local Democracy Reporting Service new labs were being opened nationally "at an unprecedented scale" to provide 200,000 tests a day and rapid tests giving results on the spot were being trialled.

"We're doing everything possible to overcome this challenge. As we expand capacity further, we will continue to work around the clock to make sure that everyone who needs a test can get one."

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