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<p>The Department recognises the importance of transparency and publishing information
on COVID-19 testing but must balance this with the accuracy of the data.</p><p>Data
on the number of people tested across the whole of the United Kingdom requires a range
of complex data sets from multiple organisations, including those held by the devolved
administrations, to be reconciled to identify unique individuals. The process is complex,
and we are not yet content that the data we have available is robust enough to provide
an accurate picture.</p><p>The Department is working with the data owners to resolve
the issues that currently prevent it from publishing the number of people tested.
We are working to resolve this issue as quickly as possible and have committed to
publishing this information going forward.</p><p>In terms of testing people upon admission
to hospital, an operating framework has been published on the NHS England website
which advises on management of urgent and planned services within hospital. In the
case of day interventions, testing and isolation is determined locally, based on patient
and procedural risk. The framework is available at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/05/Operating-framework-for-urgent-and-planned-services-within-hospitals.pdf"
target="_blank">https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/05/Operating-framework-for-urgent-and-planned-services-within-hospitals.pdf</a></p><p>
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