Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 September 2020
850. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the measures that will need to be taken to deliver 100,000 Covid-19 swabs and tests per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24126/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraA comprehensive, reliable and responsive testing and tracing operation is central to our public health strategy for containing and slowing the spread of COVID-19. The HSE has worked intensively since the start of the pandemic to put this in place and I would again like to acknowledge the huge work undertaken in this regard across the HSE.
Capacity has been in place since early summer to test 15,000 people a day/100,000 people per week. Rigorous contact tracing, automatic testing of close contacts, serial testing in high risk environments and large-scale testing in outbreak situations means we are proactively finding more cases than we would have previously.
The testing and contact tracing operational and resource model has been designed to flex up and down as needed. In recent weeks we have needed to flex it up significantly as demand has increased. We are testing more people than ever before, with almost 70,000 tests completed in the week ending 7th September. The HSE has deployed additional resources to meet this level of demand, including the opening of additional community testing centres and mobile pop-up testing units, significantly increased contact tracing teams and increased laboratory testing.
Ireland is pursuing a robust testing strategy under the guidance of NPHET and NPHET will continue to consider and review, based on public health risk assessments, how best to target testing at populations where it’s most likely and where it will do most harm. This includes testing of close contacts, and serial testing in nursing homes and food processing facilities.
That is not to say that we can’t improve further. The HSE is now finalising a future service model for testing and tracing. This service model will aim to deliver a patient-centred, accessible, consistent and flexible service. This plan includes the recruitment of a permanent workforce which has already commenced, and a range of other service improvements which will be rolled out quickly. Transition to the new model is underway and will continue through the Autumn.
The HSE is now finalising a future service model for testing and tracing. This enhanced operational model is in the final stages of design with implementation underway for priority areas such as workforce recruitment and the test centre estate. This service model will aim to deliver a patient-centred service, accessible, consistent and flexible service. This plan includes the recruitment of a permanent workforce in addition to leveraging the clinical and operational expertise embedded in our community services and this work has already commenced.
The operating model will take into account the evolving needs and future potential service demands in the context of Covid-19 surges in disease transmission. Transition to the new model is underway and will continue through the Autumn.
