The SMVN leads and co-ordinates NHS Scotland COVID-19 diagnostic testing across all 15 Health Boards with a Microbiology \/ Virology service via its \u201cTechnical Group.\u201d Members of the Technical Group include representatives from all NHS Scotland Health Boards, Specialist Virology Centres, National Procurement, Public Health Scotland, the National Network Management Service and Information Management Service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Technical Group met three times per week at the start of the pandemic and still meets at least weekly. The SMVN has enabled Boards to react quickly to develop a new molecular diagnostic service and rapidly develop the knowledge and skills required. NHS Boards currently provide capacity for over 96,000 tests per week and have delivered over 7 million tests, to date, during the pandemic. As well as co-ordinating COVID-19 diagnostic testing for NHS Scotland, the SMVN has served as a single point of contact for all of its partners and stakeholders including: PHS, National Procurement, Scottish Government \u201cTest & Protect\u201d, SG policy makers, CNOD and commercial companies supplying equipment and tests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The combined efforts of the SMVN and National Procurement have resulted in national contracts which have yielded hugely significant cost savings for NHS Scotland. The COVID-19 pandemic has provided an opportunity for the SMVN to lead on relatively new models of service by introducing Clinical Microbiology \/ Virology \u201crapid diagnostic testing\u201d and Point of Care Testing (POCT) to all 15 Health Boards. Along with the IPCDs, the SMVN \u201cTechnical Group\u201d provides subject matter expertise and has helped inform many policy decisions, as well as the National Infection Prevention & Control Manual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In collaboration with the Information Management Service (IMS), the SMVN produces weekly COVID-19 testing performance data reports for Scottish Government colleagues and has done so for over two years. These are important for monitoring testing demand as well as performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The SMVN and National Procurement have been recognised<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The SMVN, via its SARS CoV-2 (COVID-19) Testing Technical Group, has demonstrated exceptional leadership in a number of key areas. The following COVID-19 related awards have been received during 2022:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The SMVN SARS-CoV-2 Technical Group received the Scottish Government\u2019s Chief Healthcare Science Officer INNOVATOR AWARD<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nGO Awards Scotland 2022 \/ 23<\/h2>\n\n\n\n