NO TRACE
Jobs search for 18,000 coronavirus contact tracers finally begins two weeks after positions announced
THE search to recruit 18,000 coronavirus contact tracers has finally begun, two weeks after the positions were announced.
The army of recruits will be tasked with phoning people who have been newly confirmed to have Covid-19 and to ask who they were recently in contact with.
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Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on April 23 when he announced the scheme this was a key part of the government’s strategy to tackle the deadly virus.
Public health experts have also said the tracers would be essential to stop a second wave of infections once the lockdown restrictions have been eased.
While the plan was announced back in April the search for staff has only just begun, according to the .
Job adverts were posted by call-centre firm Interact CC on the recruitment site Indeed, one on Wednesday and the second on Friday.
The role though only pays £9-an-hour despite their importance, just 28p more than the minimum wage.
Outsourcing firm Serco is also said to be recruiting from among its call-centre staff but does not appear to have posted any recruitment ads.
JOB ADS POSTED ONLINE
Any delay in setting up the roles could have potentially fatal results with the spread of the virus, increasing pressure on the NHS and impacting on the length the lockdown restrictions are in place.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said last night it was “confident that these 18,000 staff will be available from the week commencing May 18”, but refused to say how many people had been recruited so far.
Fears are said to have been raised by public health professionals that ministers are focusing too heavily on the government’s app which started trials on the Isle of Wight and has already suffered technical problems.
Even if the contact tracers are in place by May 18, Britain will still be trailing Ireland where 1,700 people have already been recruited and trained.
I can’t see how it’s possible to ease lockdown until this system is ready to go. The whole thing is critical. If we don’t get it right, there’s a danger we will end up back where we started – or worse
Gary McFarlane, director of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health in Northern Ireland
Gary McFarlane, director of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health in Northern Ireland, said: “There’s absolutely no doubt we are behind the Republic. We are definitely not ready yet.”
He added ensuring there were enough contact tracers able to do an “intense job” was critical.
Mr McFarlane said: “I can’t see how it’s possible to ease lockdown until this system is ready to go.
“The whole thing is critical. If we don’t get it right, there’s a danger we will end up back where we started – or worse.”
Sources suggested to the paper that wrangling over the job specification for trace agents had caused delays, with the situation described as being “fluid” until a few days ago.
One advert states: “Do you have a passion for customer service?”
It then says that they are “looking for compassionate and empathetic personalities, to speak to people who are suspected Covid-19 cases” with the task “to trace those they have been in contact with” to “explain to them about self-isolation and what to do if they develop symptoms”.
It adds: “No medical knowledge is required and the work is heavily scripted.”
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Mr McFarlane also expressed concern the job was being pitched at a simple level.
He said: “It’s not like handling complaints about people’s Sky subscriptions.
“If someone’s difficult, you can’t put the phone down, because that could cost lives.”
The DHSC said: “We are working at pace to recruit 18,000 staff to support enhanced contact tracing, and that number will be increased if needed.”
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