THE Welsh Government is introducing what it calls a “hybrid testing approach” which will see two mobile testing units deployed in Gwent to respond to the spike in coronavirus cases in the area.

The units are among five across Wales - currently supporting the Lighthouse Labs network - which will switch over to provide assistance to Public Health Wales labs.

People trying to get tests have spoken of their frustration over the length of time it can take to book a test, and the distances to be travelled in some instances to get to the test centre offered.

The Welsh Government has said these problems are based on issues with the UK Government-led Lighthouse Labs network.

Around 70 per cent of tests are currently processed by the Lighthouse Labs, with the rest carried out by NHS Wales-run labs.

Details of the turnaround times from Lighthouse Labs are not available, but backlogs for tests in August have been blamed on high demand.

Health minister Vaughan Gething has announced that new mobile testing units will be introduced to increase testing capacity, particularly in hotspots like Gwent.

In the last week 736 cases have been confirmed in Wales, including 151 in Caerphilly and 74 in Newport.

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"We have been building testing capacity in Wales since the beginning of the pandemic and have complemented this by making use of UK Lighthouse Labs network, but demand is now outstripping that testing capacity and we are seeing the pressure on those Lighthouse Labs," said Mr Gething.

“Five mobile testing units currently aligned to the Lighthouse Labs will switch over to utilise Public Health Wales labs.

“Two of these are being deployed in the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board area and the remaining three will be used to support testing in the Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board area.

“We already have this additional capacity at Rodney Parade in Newport and this hybrid approach will be introduced to all mass testing centres over the next two weeks, concentrating first on areas of high transmission.

“These measures will give us additional testing capacity over and above that accessed through Lighthouse Labs, while we wait to see the improvements in the Lighthouse Lab system.

"We are acutely aware of the challenges now posed by the problems in Lighthouse labs.

"We are pressing the UK Government to resolve these issues as soon as possible, and I have had discussions with the Secretary of State for Health (Matt Hancock) to seek his assurance that the issues are being addressed as a priority."