London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

NHS Test and Trace to cut 6,000 jobs as system is scaled back

NHS Test and Trace to cut 6,000 jobs as system is scaled back

Thousands of NHS Test and Trace jobs are set to be axed, as the government moves to give local authorities their own dedicated teams to monitor contact between possible coronavirus carriers.

Under current rules, if the dedicated national team is unable to make contact with a person in a set amount of time, the local public health officials can use the data provided by NHS Test and Trace to follow up.

From August 24, roles will be allocated to regional teams to work with councils to ensure that they can reach as many people as possible who have potentially been in contact with someone with Covid-19.

As a result, the number of national contact tracers will be reduced from 18,000 to 12,000 – meaning a loss of 6,000 jobs.

The national test and trace system has been criticised for not tapping into local knowledge, with some employees claiming to have only made a handful of calls.

However, the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) has now said that NHS Test and Trace, Public Health England and local authorities will be able to work together to ensure more people are reached.


An advert to reduce the spread of coronavirus is seen in Calderdale – one of the hotspots for new infections (Picture: AFP)



This initiative has already been trialled in areas with high coronavirus rates such as Blackburn with Darwen, Luton and Leicester with successful results.

Officials said local areas will be given ‘ring-fenced teams from the national service’. It was revealed in July that ministers were spending £10 billion on the Test and Trace programme, despite the fact it wasn’t meeting its target.

Speaking about the scaling back of the national tracing system, Executive Chair of NHS Test and Trace, Baroness Dido Harding, said: ‘NHS Test and Trace is one of the largest contact tracing and testing systems anywhere in the world, and was built rapidly, drawing on the UK’s existing health protection networks, to stop the spread of coronavirus.



Testing and tracing will be handled by local authorities (Picture:AFP )


‘At the height of the pandemic, we ensured the system had extra capacity in place to cope with potential peaks in the virus. ‘We have always been clear that NHS Test and Trace must be local by default and that we do not operate alone – we work with and through partners across the country. ‘As we learn more about the spread of the disease, we are able to move to our planned next step and become even more effective in tackling the virus.’

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×