'Frightened' NHS tracer slams 'dreadful' system while waiting to make first call

A 'frightened' NHS contact tracer has yet to call a coronavirus case more than 24 hours on from the 'shambolic' Test and Trace launch.

The woman said she and one of her co-workers, who has also not yet made a call, feel in 'limbo' as they wait for instructions.

The system went live yesterday with reports of the website crashing and some encountering log in issues.

A contact tracer has told Mirror Online she is 'frightened' to make a call because she has not been properly trained.

She is supposed to be ringing people who have tested positive for Covid-19 to find out who they have been in contact with, however she has yet to ring anyone.

The contact tracer told Mirror Online: "I'm frightened to do a call because I don't know what I'm doing.

"They told us we were going live yesterday. I haven't had any calls yet. A lady I work with says she hasn't had any either.

"Even if I was allocated calls I genuinely have no clue how I'm (supposed) to do this.

"They (the Government) are making out the Test and Trace is working better than it is. It all feels rushed, last minute and not very well thought out."

The tracer said there are no dummy systems or fake records that can be used for practice, unlike in call centres.

She still does not understand how the call script software Synergy works with another system called CTAS, where they record answers during telephone conversations.

"CTAS seems easy... but everything else around it I have no clue of the functionality of them," she said.

"It has been dreadful from start to finish. I am supposed to be going live but I don't fell confident or even ready to start.

"I did training last Monday, we had four hours of watching video, reading scripts whilst in a large group chat.

"It was a Zoom call with probably 40 or 50 people. There were too many people on the call.

"We had one guy who was so disruptive I learnt very little. He would interupt.

"Through the last week and this one we have had little quizzes whilst we get the odd log on here and there."

The woman thinks she is one of many tracers to not yet make a single call.

She has had limited contact with her team leader, who she said 'seems as clueless as me'.

The tracer also claims the launch of the system was pushed back twice before it finally went live yesterday.

The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for comment.