Public Health England has suggested that the Department of Health was responsible for failures over coronavirus testing in the early stages of the pandemic as ministers prepare to axe the organisation.
Matt Hancock, the health secretary, will this week announce a merger of the pandemic response work of Public Health England with NHS Test and Trace, as revealed in The Times on Saturday. The merger will see the creation of a new body called the National Institute for Health Protection.
Earlier in the pandemic Boris Johnson complained that the response had been sluggish in comments that were interpreted as a criticism of Public Health England.
Ministers have blamed the body for failing to ramp up testing more quickly.
Public Health England said thatread more
Public Health England: Testing strategy was never our job, says scrapped body – The Times
