Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reasons he has not yet answered Question 96963 on Community Care: Coronavirus, tabled on 29 September 2020; when he plans to respond to that Question; if he will make it his policy to begin regular repeat covid-19 tests for (a) occupational therapists, (b) audiology specialists and (c) other health professionals who visit care homes; and if he will make a statement.

I answered Question 96963 on 16 October 2020.

We are currently running a pilot to test professionals who visit care homes weekly in Northamptonshire, Peterborough and Cambridgeshire. This includes all professionals that visit care homes two or more times a week and where carrying out their role requires them to be within one metre of residents.

We will use the data from this pilot to consider the next steps for testing health and social care professionals who visit care homes and we will continue to review our social care testing strategy in light of the latest evidence and available capacity.