About 2.5 million tests are believed to be missing in a testing system, which is branded as "absolute chaos."
Based on figures released on Monday, July 6, data show the government has released 10.6 million home testing kits, but only 8 million were returned.
The number of tests issued by the government shown in its official figures seems inaccurate as opposed to the number of tests returned, which earned criticisms from the public.
A member of medical staff takes a swab from a person in a car at an NHS coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing facility, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Wolverhampton, Britain, April 7, 2020.
This prompted Department for Health to stop daily reporting on the number of tests administered, which triggered a backlash from critics who said ministers are "embarrassed".
According to recently published data, there were a total of 10,505,758 antigen and antibody tests released at a testing center or via the post. However, only 8,058,510 have been returned for and processing. This means over 20% were never returned.
"How can 2.5 million tests be unaccounted for? The testing system is in absolute chaos with ministers unable to keep a track of how many people are being tested," said Shadow Health Minister Justin Madders.
Lib Dem Health Chief Munira Wilson, meanwhile said, "[These] abysmal figures expose the fact that millions of tests may not have even been opened," while claiming that ministers have been inflating the Covid-19 testing figures for months.
"As lockdown measures are relaxed it is vital in order to maintain public confidence that the Government demonstrates they have control over the testing system," Wilson said. "This starts with providing accurate numbers," she added.
Wilson also said the government has continued to fail "to offer regular repeat testing to frontline NHS and care staff"while they have spent taxpayers money by sending out millions of tests that are now unaccounted for.
"Ministers must come clean about the reasons so many tests have not been processed and what they are doing to sort this out," she added.
"It will be the case that some members of the public may order a test and then for whatever reason they choose not to return that test," the Prime Minister's spokesman said.
COVID-19 tests are missing
Meanwhile, the Sun reported that missing tests were either lost in the post or not returned. A spokesman from the Department of Health said many of the unreturned tests had been sent to care homes for future use.
A medical worker tests swabs for the novel coronavirus at the Microbiology department of North Devon District Hospital, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Barnstaple, Britain, June 3, 2020. Picture taken June 3, 2020.
Earlier this year, the Sun also revealed that only the tests sent out are counted, but not how many are swabbed.
"We discovered too many care homes didn't really follow the procedures in the way that they could have," the PM said during a visit to Yorkshire. However, blaming care home providers for coronavirus deaths sparked anger from care providers who claim they were "neither accurate nor welcome."
Since March, almost 20,000 people have died from COVID-19 in care homes. Johnson's government has been repeatedly criticized for being slow to react to status in care homes. Shadow Care Minister Liz Kendall branded the testing strategy "slow, confused, and chaotic".
Meanwhile, the PM's spokesman said that some members of the public may order a test, but for whatever reason, choose not to return that test.
"[If] people are ordering tests, it is entirely right that we should provide them with one," the PM's spokesman added.
