SourceBio chosen to manage mobile COVID-19 testing service

SourceBio International plc, the Nottingham-based provider of laboratory services and products, has entered into an agreement with Mitie Security Restricted to manage the delivery of community based COVID-19 testing services through mobile testing units. 

SourceBio will manage the delivery of the mobile COVID-19 testing laboratory service currently being deployed in a Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) pilot scheme.

SourceBio will oversee all laboratory operations and procedures and will have responsibility for all clinical governance, quality assurance, staff training, sample processing and knowledge management.

Currently four mobile testing laboratories using Oxford Nanopore’s LamPORE tests for COVID-19 happen to be deployed in the pilot which has been launched to support the Government’s community-based testing efforts and be sure that COVID-19 testing is available for surge or increased infectious status within a specified region.

SourceBio will manage the mobile testing service with respect to Mitie for the remainder of the pilot and it is working towards continued involvement in a potential UK-wide programme. 

Larger mobile testing units can process more than 1,500 samples a day, with 1,000 tests a day targeted for smaller vehicles. Patient swab samples are processed onboard with results provided within Twenty four hours.

SourceBio has worked closely with the DHSC providing COVID-19 antigen RT-PCR testing services using the Company’s laboratory facility. The company has processed approaching 1,000,000 COVID-19 antigen RT-PCR tests for that DHSC and the NHS, Private Hospital Groups and Commercial customers since first offering its service in May 2021.

Jay LeCoque, Executive Chairman, said: “We are very proud to aid the UK’s national testing effort to bring gold standard testing towards the local communities as part of the effort to get the nation back to work.

“The requirement for localised testing and monitoring of infections is critical as the vaccine program accelerates. This project also highlights our continued use the DHSC on multiple fronts because they work to manage the pandemic because it evolves.”