A survey of over 2,513 members of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has revealed that only 31% of its members are able to access COVID-19 testing for themselves if they have symptoms.
The survey, carried out over 24 hours, asked respondents whether they were currently taking time off from their normal work schedule or had taken time off recently, if they were able to access testing for COVID-19, and if they were able to access the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
Of the 18.47% of respondents who said they were off work at the moment, 79.1% said their time off was down to COVID-19. A third (33%) said they suspected they might have COVID-19 symptoms themselves, while almost a quarter (23.4%) said they suspected a family member might have COVID-19.
Despite this, only one third of respondents (31%) reported being able to access COVID-19 testing for themselves if they have symptoms, and 87.5% said they couldn’t access COVID-19 testing for a member of their household with symptoms. Some 1 in 10 (12.4%) reported being unable to access testing for the patients who meet the current testing criteria.
The survey also asked RCP members about their access to personal protective equipment (PPE), and found that almost a quarter (22%) could not access the PPE they needed for treating COVID-19 patients.
Professor Andrew Goddard, president of the Royal College of Physicians, said: “These figures are a stark indication of the incredibly difficult situation facing our members working in the NHS.
“The Government’s current strategy to deliver testing that would support NHS staff to return to the workforce as quickly as possible clearly isn’t working. The fact that only 78% of respondents could access the PPE they needed is a big concern and we must aim to get to 100% as soon as possible.
“We welcome promises made this week to increase COVID-19 testing to 100,000 a day by the end of April, but NHS and social care staff and their households need tests now and progress has been far slower than the system requires. If it wants to build confidence, the Government must publish its plan, timeline and the challenges it expects.”
