Officials put £5bn estimate on coronavirus testing cost

The multi-lot framework — which runs for two years with an option to extend for another two — is designed to cover spend in the entire NHS market. It can be accessed by public bodies, including PHE, Public Health Scotland, Public Health Wales, the Department of Health and Social Care, all NHS trusts, special health authorities, local authorities and any other NHS entity.

The framework is described as a general “national microbiology framework” but the prior information notice makes clear it is primarily to cover the coronavirus testing programme. It says it is being issued by PHE on behalf of the health and social care secretary.

Assuming the £5bn estimate covers all four years, it indicates a potential annual spend of £1.25bn across the sector.

The notice, published on Tenders Electronic Daily, stresses the unpredictable nature of the framework and says the value is ”an estimate only” and will vary based on several factors. 

The framework “will be used to support all five pillars” of the government’s testing strategy, according to the notice. It includes four lots: diagnostics supplies and services, research and development products and services, manufacturing of diagnostic and therapeutic products and laboratory capacity for testing.

A contract notice for the framework is due to be published shortly.

Public Health England’s previous microbiology framework, which ran from 2016, had an estimated value between £80m and £120m according to a notice issued at the time.

HSJ has approached Public Health England and the DHSC for further information and comment.

Meanwhile, the Office of National Statistics has set up a £750m covid-19 infection survey to track the disease in the population from July 2020 through to May 2022. The survey will include both swab testing for current infection and blood testing for antibodies.

Researchers will recruit roughly 20,000 participants per month until April 2021 for swab testing. Up to 25,000 of these participants will also be tested for antibodies. Serology testing is also expected to take place from July 2020 until May 2023.

The ONS intends to award contracts to commercial suppliers, with lots including a field force of health workers to perform the tests, serology testing and survey analysis services.

The government has faced weeks of criticism over its testing efforts, with critics saying it has not performed enough tests, that it has set arbitrary targets and that it has misrepresented the actual number performed.