Army has set up Ravenscraig testing centre for coronavirus

The UK military has set up a coronavirus testing facility in Ravenscraig.
By Neil McGrory, Local Democracy Reporter
Published 7th May 2020, 13:04 BST
Picture : John Devlin. 16/04/2020. GLASGOW. Gartnavel General Hospital. Stock shot of Covid-19 testing centre. Nurse manager, Jean Stevenson at the centre. Less than half UK's Covid-19 testing capacity being used, figures show. No 10 suggests NHS should refer more staff for tests as 15,994 carried out in 24 hours. No 10 has said the country now has the capacity to test more than 35,000 hospital patients, NHS staff and care workers a day for coronavirus but questions are mounting about why less than half of those tests are currently being carried out. While the government is aiming for 100,000 tests a day, just 15,994 tests were carried out in the 24 hours before 9am on Wednesday. This is despite capacity at NHS and Public Health England laboratories of 20,771 tests and 14,300 at 26 privately operated drive-through sites across the country. 'Absolutely wrong': how UK's coronavirus test strategy unravelled Read more No 10 suggested the NHS needed to refer more staff for testing but also said it was lookiPicture : John Devlin. 16/04/2020. GLASGOW. Gartnavel General Hospital. Stock shot of Covid-19 testing centre. Nurse manager, Jean Stevenson at the centre. Less than half UK's Covid-19 testing capacity being used, figures show. No 10 suggests NHS should refer more staff for tests as 15,994 carried out in 24 hours. No 10 has said the country now has the capacity to test more than 35,000 hospital patients, NHS staff and care workers a day for coronavirus but questions are mounting about why less than half of those tests are currently being carried out. While the government is aiming for 100,000 tests a day, just 15,994 tests were carried out in the 24 hours before 9am on Wednesday. This is despite capacity at NHS and Public Health England laboratories of 20,771 tests and 14,300 at 26 privately operated drive-through sites across the country. 'Absolutely wrong': how UK's coronavirus test strategy unravelled Read more No 10 suggested the NHS needed to refer more staff for testing but also said it was looki
Picture : John Devlin. 16/04/2020. GLASGOW. Gartnavel General Hospital. Stock shot of Covid-19 testing centre. Nurse manager, Jean Stevenson at the centre. Less than half UK's Covid-19 testing capacity being used, figures show. No 10 suggests NHS should refer more staff for tests as 15,994 carried out in 24 hours. No 10 has said the country now has the capacity to test more than 35,000 hospital patients, NHS staff and care workers a day for coronavirus but questions are mounting about why less than half of those tests are currently being carried out. While the government is aiming for 100,000 tests a day, just 15,994 tests were carried out in the 24 hours before 9am on Wednesday. This is despite capacity at NHS and Public Health England laboratories of 20,771 tests and 14,300 at 26 privately operated drive-through sites across the country. 'Absolutely wrong': how UK's coronavirus test strategy unravelled Read more No 10 suggested the NHS needed to refer more staff for testing but also said it was looki

The armed forces have estalished 13 sites across Scotland, including the one at Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility. These test key workers and family members with potential cases of Covid-19 .

Testing is also available for over-65s and people unable to work from home who have symptoms of the virus.

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Key workers can book their coronavirus tests by visiting – https://www.gov.uk/apply-coronavirus-test.

The sports centre is run by an arms-length organisation operated by North Lanarkshire Council.

Councillor Nathan Wilson, one of the elected representatives for Motherwell South East and Ravenscraig, said: “The UK Government is fulfilling its promise to significantly increase testing capacity throughout the nation and our Armed Forces have moved at an extremely fast pace to establish test centres in Scotland.

“The testing site that has been established at the Ravenscraig Regional Sports Centre will allow key workers in North Lanarkshire who are pivotal in our fight against this invisible killer to undergo a test for Covid-19.

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“By creating this additional capacity to allow key workers in the Motherwell and Wishaw areas and across North Lanarkshire to undergo a test for Covid-19, we can ensure that they are able to keep going in their vital roles and provide essential support at this most challenging of times.”

A council spokeswoman added: “Testing for coronavirus was extended to include key workers in the council beyond those working in health and social care.

“The council is assisting with the test booking process for staff who are displaying symptoms of coronavirus, as well as any members of their household, through the dedicated employer portal.

“Staff can attend the temporary facility at Ravenscraig which has been created as part of the overall increase in testing capacity for the country, or the ones at Glasgow and Edinburgh Airports, to suit their individual circumstances.

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“The facility at Ravenscraig Regional Sports Centre is not just for key workers of North Lanarkshire Council – it provides a local testing location in Lanarkshire for any key worker or any other person eligible for testing.”

Related topics:Covid-19UK GovernmentScotlandNorth Lanarkshire Council

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