Cllr Kieron Williams, Leader of Southwark Council, responds to Covid-19 testing issues

17 September 2020

Councillor Kieron Williams, Leader of Southwark Council, has responded to residents’ concerns about the availability of Covid-19 testing in the borough.

Councillor Williams said: “If we are going to beat Covid-19, it is imperative that residents can get tested quickly when they have symptoms, so that they can seek the right medical advice, continue to isolate, or get on with their lives if the tests are negative for the whole household. I sympathise with those having to isolate without knowing their health status, but would urge everyone to do the right thing and follow advice, including social distancing to stop the spread.

“We have worked extremely hard to support NHS testing in our borough as part of the Government’s national testing programme, and until recently this has gone smoothly, without capacity issues. However, with an increase in demand for testing, we know that many people are finding that the Government website will not allow them to book a test as none are available, either locally, or at all. We have asked the Government to urgently address this problem, whether the shortfall is due to laboratory capacity or glitches in the system, as our ability to prevent the spread of Covid-19 depends on a fast and efficient testing system.  While the issues persist, I would like to remind all residents not to turn up at testing sites without a booked appointment please.

“It is imperative that the Government provides the resources to the NHS and laboratories to support them in processing tests, and to sort this issue out as soon as possible, so people can get the tests they need. We will continue to ask Government on behalf of our residents to address this immediately.”

Page last updated: 17 September 2020