By NHS staff face £50 a month lateral flow testing bill
As of April 1st, NHS staff will face a £50 monthly charge as free lateral flow tests are scrapped in England.
While care home residents and staff, patients, and other vulnerable groups will still be entitled to free testing, the government has failed to extend this to NHS staff.
Staff and NHS leaders are growing increasingly concerned and are warning that free testing must continue or the NHS may face another staffing crisis.
This comes as cases of coronavirus continue to rise and as England faces a worrying increase in the cost of living.
Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: “Health leaders are adamant that continuing to offer free testing to NHS staff is vital given that rates of coronavirus and hospital admissions are still very high and rising.
“We know that more NHS workers are again having to take time off due to Covid-19 with it accounting for 30% of all absences and so, the Government cannot put its fingers in ears and pretend that the threat has gone away.
“In the face of a cost-of-living crisis, many staff will simply not be able to afford to regularly buy their tests.”
Contact Gi National
Email us: news@gi-media.co.uk
