Note on number of pillar 2 (swab) tests processed by lower tier local authorities: 28 May to 16 September 2020
Published 24 September 2020
Applies to England
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/number-of-coronavirus-tests-processed-by-local-authority-england-28-may-to-16-september-2020/note-on-number-of-pillar-2-swab-tests-processed-by-lower-tier-local-authorities-28-may-to-16-september-2020
This data contains the number of pillar 2 (swab) tests that were processed daily between 28 May and 16 September 2020 by lower tier local authorities (LTLAs). Pillar 2 involves swab testing of the national population through multiple different routes including: regional test sites, local test sites, mobile testing units, satellite test centres and home test kits.
Data source
These figures are provisional based on management information for testing provided by NHS Digital. These figures will not align with those published on the coronavirus testing in the UK dashboard as they are derived from a different data source with different associated methodology. The reasons for the differences are below:
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a cut of the data was taken at different points in time for each source
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NHS Digital report on the date a test was processed in the laboratory whereas the dashboard reports on the date reported by laboratories
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the UTLA is determined using the postcode of the person tested, the dashboard data is only available at a national level and this is determined by each of the individual devolved administrations
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daily data on the dashboard is not routinely revised whereas NHS Digital update the figures for previous dates when each data cut is taken
As these figures are experimental, they are therefore subject to change. The Department of Health and Social Care is working to align these figures with those published on the dashboard and aim to publish them regularly.
Methodology
The ‘number of tests processed’ counts all tests that have remained within the control of the programme (and were counted at the time at which processed in labs) and those that have been sent out and subsequently returned to be processed in a lab.
These figures are taken from the pillar 2 labs’ processed data and matched by NHS Digital to individual records. A person’s postcode is then used to determine their local authority. Therefore, those where a postcode is not available are not assigned a geography.
Data for City of London and Hackney have been combined due to their smaller population size.