Leighton Buzzard key worker says coronavirus testing unit in Linslade is "a joke" after it runs out of tests

The man, who wished to remain anonymous, said other people with booked appointments for swab tests were also left stranded at the school site in Linslade with no explanation.

One woman had travelled from Aylesbury to end up doing a U-turn without being tested.

The man told the LBO: “I’d had a cough for the last two days and work have advised me to work from home until I’d had a test.

“I had booked a test in order to establish whether I could return to work or not.

“My test was booked for 4.30pm at Cedars Upper School on Thursday and as I was off duty at 5pm, work had let me take the last hour off work.”

He said when he arrived at the school, there was a queue of cars about six long.

“People were getting out of their cars and walking round trying to find someone,” he added.

“There was no-one there at all. After about half an hour, a lady came out who said she was part of Cedars’ facilities and they only give permission to the MoD and she isn’t part of the testing.

“She said that the MoD had left about half an hour before as they had run out of tests.

“From listening to others who were in the line, no-one had been informed, despite them having all our personal details when we book the appointment.

“It was a joke as we were obviously all key workers who had probably taken time off work to travel there, some from further afield, only to be presented with a deserted site.”

He has had to book another test, but has opted to have it done in Milton Keynes in the hope it is better organised.

He said: “There was nobody to ask or complain to, so I have had to rebook another test, which means more time off work and longer before I can finally return.”

South West Beds MP Andrew Selous said he was furious when informed by the LBO what had happened to the key worker.

Mr Selous said: “I’d like to apologise through the paper.

“I will immediately contact the Department for Health and say I am not happy with this. It is inefficient and disrespectful of people’s time. I would like to know straight away if any people have any problems taking a test.”

He added that he was concerned that the Cedars testing facility hadn’t been properly advertised. As referenced in last week’s LBO, a Cedars staff member had been advised his nearest testing base was in Belfast when applying to be tested, while another member of the public from Leighton Buzzard had been directed to use the Biggleswade Hospital site instead.

A Beds Clinical Commissioning Group spokesman said “an isolated supply issue” had led to the site’s early closure on May 14. He said: “We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

The Department of Health has started an investigation, but has added testing unit staff hadn’t alerted it to a shortage of stocked kits which would have led to a resupply being arranged.

Forthcoming testing dates at Cedars are May 21-23 and 28-30.

Anyone eligible to be tested at the Cedars mobile site has to first arrange an appointment on the national booking website https://self-referral.test-for-coronavirus.service.gov.uk.

> The LBO is happy to point out that the role of the school was purely to open up the site, which was manned by the MoD on behalf of the Department of Health.