Coronavirus: Portsmouth's Tipner testing site 'disappears overnight'

A drive-through coronavirus testing facility disappeared overnight leaving key workers "shocked", a union has said.

The facility at Tipner, Portsmouth, was set up in April for NHS and care staff from across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

GMB Union said staff had been given no notice of the move to Southampton Airport.

The government said additional testing sites were available in both cities.

The Department of Health and Social Care previously said the facility, on a site originally created as an emergency lorry park for Portsmouth port as part of no-deal Brexit preparations, would be moved to Southampton Airport by the end of the month but had not given a date.

However, GMB Union said there had been "long-term commitments" for it to be available until at least 5 October, with key workers being directed to the site until that date.

"Key and health workers were shocked this morning when they found a major covid-testing site for the whole south coast had disappeared overnight," it said.

Regional organiser Adrian Baker added: "Test and trace has become trace the test."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: "Following close collaboration with the local authorities over a number of weeks, the Portsmouth Tipnor lorry park site has been relocated to the long stay car park at Southampton Airport to ensure that tests continue to be available in the region long-term."

Additional testing sites are available at Eldon Road car park in Portsmouth, as well as at the car parks in Marlborough Road South and Woodley Road in Southampton, he said.

He added the "vast majority" of people could now be tested within six miles of their home.

Simon Bryant, director of Public Health at Hampshire County Council, said: "Council members of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight local Resilience Forum - Hampshire County Council, Southampton and Portsmouth City Councils and the IoW Council - were aware this was due in the near future, but the logistics of the move itself were organised nationally."

He added Southampton Airport test site, like all others, was for appointment only bookings with no walk-in facility.