Jeane Freeman defends recruitment of virus contact tracers

Scotland’s health secretary, Jeane Freeman, has defended government actions on the recruitment of coronavirus contact tracers after it was claimed they had yet to appoint a single person in the role.

Jeane Freeman is under pressure to step up recruitment of contact tracers.

Ms Freeman took to Twitter to reveal that 600 contact tracers were ready to start, with others in training and going through employment checks.

A report in today’s Sunday Mail, had claimed the Scottish Government had failed to hire a single Covid-19 contact tracer, despite almost 8500 people applying online for the 2000 roles as call handlers, data analysts and health protection nurses.

Opposition parties had also accused the government of “dithering” over the vital test, trace and isolate strategy.

It had also been revealed today by Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove that the UK Government was on course to achieve its target of getting 18,000 contact tracers by next week.

Responding to the Sunday Mail story, Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Miles Briggs said: “The clock is ticking – the SNP must not drag its feet”, while Scottish Greens MSP Alison Johnstone said: “The Scottish Government’s testing strategy has been incoherent. I’m dismayed that it has taken this long into lockdown for the Government to begin recruiting contact tracers.”

Labour’s shadow health secretary Monica Lennon said: “It’s now vital that the success of the tracing strategy isn’t hampered by unnecessary slowness on recruitment.” And Scottish Lib Dems leader Willie Rennie said: “This slow rate of progress is making a lot of people very nervous about the Scottish Government’s ability to make it happen.”

However today Ms Freeman tweeted: “Recruitment is 3 fold - NHS staff, NHS volunteer returners and the ads. All that clearly set out in publication 2 weeks ago. Additional 600 ready to start and more in training and pre-employment checks.”

Earlier this month Ms Freeman said the Scottish Government’s test, trace and isolate strategy would be carried out by a team of about 2000 tracers, and while some would be current NHS staff moved into new roles, the government would advertise for others to apply for the jobs. Adverts have since appeared on social media, offering people the chance to “register interest”.

Meanwhile in England 17,000 people have been recruited as part of the UK government’s plan to test, track and trace people with coronavirus.

Mr Gove said: “It is now the case that more than 17,000 people have been recruited for contact tracing, so we are on course to meet that target,” he said, adding that the test, track and trace programme - seen as key to further lifting of the lockdown - would be up and running by the end of May.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Following the launch of our Test, Trace, Isolate, Support Strategy, we are actively supporting the efforts of NHS Scotland health boards to enhance the public health workforce, including through a national print and social media campaign, advertising contact tracing roles.

“Officials have already advised how individuals may seek to express their interest in contact tracing roles and have signalled that we will write again, having fully considered the offer.”

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