Coronavirus: 'Hot labs' in hospitals for faster testing

Up to 160 staff will be recruited for the labs

Six new "hot labs" with rapid testing equipment will be created in hospitals as part of a drive to improve coronavirus test processing times.

Three regional laboratories will also become 24/7 operations, with the Welsh Government spending up to £32m, including on extra staff.

The latest weekly data showed 56% of tests processed in NHS Wales labs came back within a day.

Fast turnaround of tests is seen as key to a successful contact tracing system.

The money will pay for extra staff and equipment to enable Public Health Wales laboratories at University Hospital Wales, Cardiff, Singleton Hospital, Swansea and Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in Rhyl, to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week from October.

• Coronavirus test times under the microscope

• Figuring out the stats on coronavirus in Wales

• What is it like to be contact traced?

The six "hot labs" with fast testing equipment will be created at Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend, Prince Charles Hospital, Merthyr Tydfil, University Hospital in Llandough and Grange Hospital, Cwmbran.

The labs are seen as a key part of testing and tracing

The Welsh Government said they will begin operating in November from 08:00 to 22:00 GMT, seven days a week.

Dr Tracey Cooper, chief executive of Public Health Wales, said it will recruit up to 160 staff into the new roles.

The government said the initial outlay on staffing and new equipment is expected to be nearly £8m and the cost of carrying out tests is expected to vary between £8m and £24m depending on demand.

Health Minister Vaughan Gething said: "This investment will ensure we have the laboratory capacity in Wales to deliver our Test, Trace, Protect strategy to keep coronavirus under control, and be ready for the winter.

"I hope we don't need to use all the testing capacity this investment will create but we have to be prepared."

Welsh Conservative health spokesman Andrew RT Davies welcomed the new capacity, but warned: "We need to be sure that this additional resource will make a real difference."

Analysis

by Paul Martin, BBC Wales political correspondent

For weeks data has been showing that many tests processed in Welsh labs are not hitting the 24 hour target.

And for weeks ministers have been saying they want to see improvement.

Now we see the potential price tag: £32m

This isn't a bit of tinkering here and there to increase the number of courier deliveries or ensure that samples arrive at regular, manageable intervals.

It's a significant investment in recruitment and machinery to increase the capacity of NHS Wales laboratories.

The specialist pan-UK "Lighthouse Labs", which operate 24 hours a day, have shown just how quickly tests can be turned around.

The hope in government will be that this investment achieves something similar, so that the Test, Trace Protect system stands a good chance of working if coronavirus makes its feared winter comeback.

But is it enough?