Vote of no confidence in covid test-and-trace system - but fears it could 'undermine' public health messaging

A motion criticising the national test and trace system could “undermine” public health messaging around Covid-19 in County Durham, opposition councillors have warned.
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The Government-funded service was established earlier this year to help track and prevent the spread of coronavirus.

It includes the NHS and a number of private firms contracted by the Government testing people for coronavirus and tracing their recent contacts.

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At the last full meeting of Durham County Council, Labour councillor and cabinet member for adults and health, Lucy Hovvels, proposed a ‘vote of no confidence’ in the system.

Durham County Council has passed a vote of no confidence in the Test and Trace systemDurham County Council has passed a vote of no confidence in the Test and Trace system
Durham County Council has passed a vote of no confidence in the Test and Trace system

The councillor, who also chairs the county’s Health and Wellbeing Board, criticised the performance of test and trace and the impact on local outbreak control arrangements.

Councillor John Robinson seconded the motion and said investment into private companies to operate testing and contact tracing had left local health professionals with challenges.

This included “lack of access to timely data, slow turnaround of testing and national call handlers dealing with residents who have tested positive.”

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However, the proposals for a vote of no confidence prompted warnings from opposition councillors, with some fearing the motion could be perceived as an attack on NHS staff.

Others branded the motion “irresponsible” and said it could undermine public health messaging in the county and deter people from seeking tests.

Council chiefs clarified that the motion intended to criticise the wider test and trace system, rather than the NHS, while highlighting the Government’s decision to outsource contracts to private companies.

While acknowledging issues with test and trace, councillor Richard Bell, leader of the council’s Conservative group, said the motion failed to provide any suggested improvements.

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He proposed an amendment, asking for Cllr Hovvels and the council’s director of public health to produce a report showing the steps that need to be taken to improve the situation.

The amendment also proposed removing ‘vote of no confidence’ from the original motion.

Liberal Democrat opposition councillor, Mark Wilkes, added that the original motion would “undermine the work going on in the county.”

He went on to say: “We need people to get tested, yes the system isn’t working but only Cllr Bell’s amendment has anything positive in it.

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“I for one will not support a motion [from Cllr Hovvels] which is unamended which suggests to the public that there’s no point getting tested, it’s irresponsible.”

Cllr Bell’s amendment and a separate amendment from Liberal Democrat councillor, Craig Martin, to remove ‘vote of no confidence’ from Labour’s motion were defeated by votes.

Cllr Hovvels said the council could “do the job” if the Government provided the tools and resources and assured Cllr Bell there was already a Covid-19 plan in place which includes test and trace.

A request to remove reference to ‘NHS’ from parts of the original motion was also agreed by Cllr Hovvels.

“I’m happy to take the NHS out [of the motion] but I want the test and trace to remain in because that is the problem, it is not working,” she said.

“We all know how extremely hard our NHS staff are working and the commitment and the sacrifices they have made, no one has ever ever disputed that.

“But you do need to make the system work and we’re doing everything that we possibly can as a local authority – but we’re only part of the system.

“We produce lots of materials, we have focused on the signs and the symptoms and we’re putting the messages out all the time.

“I don’t believe what people have said that people won’t go and get tested because they will.”

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An amended motion, removing several references to NHS, was agreed with 54 votes in favour, 12 against and 9 abstentions.

It called on the council to:

:: Express a vote of no confidence in test and trace.

:: Write to the Secretary of State for Health and Care to express grave concerns at the failings of test and trace and the impact it has had on local outbreak control arrangements.

:: Thank local council staff who are managing cases due to the shortcomings of NHS test and trace.

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