COVID-19 TESTING SOLUTION – MOTOR TRADE COULD MOBILISE 26,000 LOCATIONS + 130,000 STAFF TO FIGHT COVID

April 2, 2020

MOT Centres Could Assist in providing a COVID-19 Testing solution…

… A Solution to COVID-19 Locality Testing & Tester Shortages?

!!! MOT Juice believes MOT Centres can offer a practical solution to local COVID-19 testing locations and Tester resources.

!!! As the country faces a national lockdown situation, the nation must come together to find solutions to ever changing situations and crises.

!!! MOT Centres operate using Government/DVSA approved and secure data systems that could quickly be adapted to register and deliver COVID testing in the same way vehicle testing is conducted.

Founder and creator of the UK’s leading VTS MOT Compliance System, MOT Juice, Barry Babister, believes MOT Centres across the UK can play a vital part in assisting with localised COVID-19 testing, record keeping and helping the nation get back to its former glory whilst keeping costs to an audited minimum.

!!! The Government, PHE and WHO need to think outside the ‘box’ when it comes to COVID-19 testing and training, gearing up as many ‘new’ Testers as possible.

!!! The reality of the situation is that through systems, technologies and locations, highly skilled personnel and accessible locations MOT Centres could viably help with COVID-19 testing.

Immunity Passports

This testing procedure enables the issuance and renewal of Immunity Passports ( basically mot certificates that last 12 weeks ) which allows people to return to work boosting economy and most importantly BOOSTING MORALE and combating social anxiety.

We are at WAR with this VIRUS and this process can ignite hope and give the public a light at the end of the tunnel.

!!! MOT Centres can help the UK increase testing by tenfold or more, competing with global testing leaders, Germany. We can be part of the COVID-19 testing solution.

The Numbers:

• • The UK population is 67m
  • The UK has 23,000 MOT Centres with 60,000 Testers

Current Testing Processes

FACT: Current testing for COVID-19 is a swab sample from the nose and the back of the throat – a similar method is adopted for the PSA cancer scan process which is carried out by trained volunteers. Our understanding is that this may soon be replaced by an antibody test (to see if you have had it) which is a finger prick test so no concerns re doing it incorrectly.

This testing, which can be seen as common place across the UK, is administered and conducted by trained volunteers.

Train MOT Testers

We believe that by training already heavily regulated and authorised MOT Testers, essential COVID-19 tests could be carried out within MOT Centres.

Training providers already exist to up-skill and train MOT Testers via online courses. The main concern around the testing process was dependent on how well healthcare workers took samples from patients – from the nose and the back of the throat – this is simply a training issue at worst.

The solution is to bring qualified staff (retired Nurses and Doctors) to MOT Centres to train, assist, oversee and manage Testers.

Testing Possibilities

If the test is a swab process each Tester could easily conduct 1 test per 10 minutes for 10 hours per day; equating to 60 tests.

With Testers incentivised to work 6 day weeks in this time of national emergency then we create a potential of over 15 MILLION TESTS per week!

Social Distancing

In line with social distancing, larger MOT Centres are ideally placed to enforce social distancing. Their perimeters are usually sizeable; meaning there is ample room for parking, queuing and testing around the 2m distance protocol.

Revising The Current MOT System for the COVID-19 Testing Solution

The MOT scheme already has a system that logs into a DVSA system to identify and make responsible each Tester for each test.

It has a mechanism to identify vehicles. This is easily changeable to the identification of people, Passport no. – unique identifier similar to a VIN number – storage of suitable photographic ID and recent utility bill for instance. This then can act as an immunity passport.

An MOT Centre Quality Management System (QMS) – like the MOT Juice system – has real time pre-bookable appointments slots, registered to each vehicle – changeable to each individual – for the MOT/COVID-19 test.

Logistical Infrastructure

The COVID-19 test must be returned to a lab. The UK currently has approximately 44 labs which we understand could upscale.

The UK has multiple national couriers capable of logistically managing the pickup and delivery of testing kits to labs on a twice daily basis.

Virus tracking

By regular testing at registered VTS sites the health authorities are able to monitor the infection rates, immunity and spread of the virus giving indispensable information to health officials as they work to fight the virus… a priceless asset in the fight.

Regular Testing

Current news suggests that knowledge of this virus and our ability to build self immunity is not yet fully understood. In order for health organisations to properly monitor and track this evolution there appears to be a need for periodic testing, thus creating the need for test facilities outside normal health care facilities.

MOT QMS have the capabilities to adapt to 12 weekly testing – an MOT health check if you will.

Ready, Willing and Able

• • The majority of the infrastructure to rebrand, retrain and record is in place.
  • The workforce is willing and able.
  • The MOT Centres exist.

MOT Centres follow strict Government and DVSA regulations, thus providing a manageable solution to local Coronavirus testing adhering to decrees will not be anything unusual. MOT Centres via a revisited QMS can efficiently managing risk, quality and performance.

Regulation

Each MOT Centre is registered and approved by the Government, with responsible vetted Authorised Examiners (typically business owners), who control a workforce of Government Approved MOT Testers who are accustomed to working to strict guidelines.

Multiple Testing Locations

A huge problem facing the NHS is Coronavirus testing – testing that needs to be carried out locally to negate the need for excessive travel, maintaining social distancing regulations.

There must be enough sites to manage the 67m UK population.

A former World Health Organisation member says the Government as failed to organise itself and could be processing tens of thousands more tests.

Without criticising the Government, this is about finding real solutions to real problems; part of that failure is accessibility to testing locations and Testers.

Testing locations that are local to each and every city, town and village – MOT Centres could hold the key to local testing centres.

FACT: Recently, an IKEA store in North London is housing a testing centre for frontline health workers; with Boots also planning to set up frontline testing in their Nottingham and Surrey branches.

It is still unclear as to how the general public will be tested and where; and how will logistical, cyber proof, administration be managed?

Dr Phillipa Whitford, SNP MP, a former surgeon, believes it’s this administration that will make it difficult to conduct physical COVID-19 testing. However the MOT stations and staff offer a packaged solution for the administration and management of the actual testing, beyond this the laboratories have the chance to shine.

MOT Tester Workforce

This workforce is currently stood down and largely being paid for by the Government through the Furlough Scheme. A better use of this funding would be to send these Testers back to work and pay the MOT Centres to carry out the tests.

Note to Government Officials and Editors:

MOT Juice is the UK’s leading cloud based QMS – installed across the UK, both within smaller independent MOT Centres, larger national businesses and multi centre franchise groups. B Babister also owns and operates 7 mot test lanes

The UK MOT testing service can easily and quickly evolve to conduct the registration of those wanting a test and the test procedure, after that the Govt could empower test labs to test and update results.