There are 4 Pillars. Pillar 1 labs test the Swab by a technique called RT PCR, to see whether the patient has current infection with #SARS_CoV_2. This test is delivered by NHS and PHE labs. Pillar 2 labs do the same but are delivered by the Private Lighthouse labs. 1/n

2/n The Pillar 1 labs declare their testing rate, & are a correct number of tests processed. Pillar 2 labs declare the tests processed AND the tests they have sent out. Test sent out should not be counted. Pillar 2 total tests are misleading. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public

3/n @profchrisham Pillar 3 testing is for antibody tests, to see whether you have had #SARS_CoV_2. These are mostly processed in NHS labs and the numbers are correct. But it is meaningless to add them to the number of RT PCR tests