Coronavirus: Lab testing issues 'may take weeks to resolve'

Testing at a drive-in mobile unit in Rhondda Cynon Taf on Saturday

Some mobile testing units will be run by the Welsh NHS in a bid to control potential outbreaks after UK lab issues, the health minister has said.

On Friday tests in Wales were capped after increased demand saw UK-wide issues.

Vaughan Gething said the issues could go on "for weeks" and Wales would not rely on the Lighthouse labs programme.

But Welsh Secretary Simon Hart said the issues came after a "huge demand for tests".

The mobile testing units are new, run under the Lighthouse labs partnership between the private sector and UK and devolved governments.

Each unit can normally carry out around 300 tests a day - but high demand around the UK as cases have risen has meant a limit of 60 was set for each mobile unit in Wales by the UK government.

Capacity problems at the labs have resulted in people being asked to travel long distances to access drive-through tests, with some people reported being offered tests more than 50 miles (80km) from their homes.

A mobile testing unit was set up in Porth, Rhondda, on Thursday and moved to Clydach Vale at the weekend

Following a local lockdown imposed in Caerphilly, officials were told this week they had just days to "get on top of" rising infections in Rhondda Cynon Taff (RCT).

But on Friday, Council leader Andrew Morgan had said a "huge effort" would have to be made after the cap was introduced by the UK government.

On Sunday, Mr Morgan confirmed that the area now had 300 drive through tests and 300 walk in tests available, following the limitations.

Discussions with the UK Government's Health Secretary Matt Hancock led to the limit being increased to 150 on Saturday before rising to 300 tests on Sunday.

Mr Morgan tweeted that "Welsh agencies are using their capacity to boost numbers".

Speaking to BBC Radio Wales' Sunday Supplement programme Mr Gething said that the situation on Friday was "unacceptable" and lessons were being learnt rapidly.

"[These issues] are not going to be resolved for a period of weeks and we just can't have that position repeating itself several times over the next three weeks," he said.

He said that the Welsh Government had "always wanted to build up have built up a significant NHS Wales testing capacity", but that action was needed to safeguard Wales' resources.

"What I'm looking to do is to shift our mobile testing units, some of which are run through lighthouse labs where the tests are processed, and to try to move more of those to NHS Wales capacity, because that would mean we wouldn't have this problem," he said.

"If we have flare-ups and outbreaks or I need to put mobile testing resources in, we won't then rely on the lighthouse lab programme," he added.

But Welsh Secretary Simon Hart MP said problems were being caused by "huge demand" for tests and that "things don't always go to plan".

Speaking on the BBC Politics Wales programme he said: "I know that was a difficult, but short period.

"Pandemics don't necessarily follow nice convenient patterns."