Responding to comments made at the press briefing by the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, and the deputy chief medical officer, Dr Jenny Harries, the deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, Saffron Cordery, said:

"At this critical time, it is welcome to hear that the government echoes the concerns of trust leaders on staff testing. We must move towards more widespread testing for staff as rapidly as possible.

"These tests will ensure that frontline staff who are self isolating according to official advice are able to continue to go to work if they do not have COVID-19.

"But trust leaders are telling us they need urgent clarity on the approach to staff testing for COVID-19."

At this critical time, it is welcome to hear that the government echoes the concerns of trust leaders on staff testing. We must move towards more widespread testing for staff as rapidly as possible.

Saffron Cordery    Deputy Chief Executive

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"We need the government and national NHS leaders to sort this situation out, to help ensure the NHS has as many of its staff available as possible at this difficult time."

On personal protective equipment (PPE), she added:

"Ensuring NHS staff have confidence in the equipment they work with is an absolute priority for trust leaders.

"There are mounting concerns about the changes to the guidance on PPE, with a widespread perception among staff that the approach recommended by the World Health Organisation has in some ways been watered down.

"This is causing real anxiety for frontline staff whose priority is to keep their patients and themselves safe.

"Trust leaders need urgent clarification about the recent change in guidance on PPE from Public Health England."