Surrey County Council has set up its own tracing team to contact people who have tested positive for Covid-19, if the national programme has been unable to get in touch with them.

People living in Surrey who test positive will be referred to the local contact tracing team if the national Test and Trace service is unable to contact them within 24 hours.

The target set by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) is for 80% of positive cases to be reached by contact tracers.

Surrey has a contact tracing completion rate of around 80% through the national Test and Trace service, but the new service will aim to mop up the other 20% who are currently falling through the net. The local contact tracing team are part of the authority's customer services team and have completed the national Test and Trace training programme. Calls will come from a local number: 01483 404 939. Once they make contact, staff will fill out a contact tracing questionnaire and offer welfare support or financial assistance advice to cover the resident's period of self-isolation. People who have been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace and are living on a low income can get help from the self-isolation payment scheme. More information on how to apply for the payment can be found on the Surrey County Council website. Ruth Hutchinson, Surrey County Council's Director of Public Health, said: "Contact tracing is a crucial part of our efforts to slow the spread of the virus. We're fortunate that in Surrey the national Test and Trace service is already reaching around 80% of our residents who test positive. This is an opportunity for us to build on that national effort and use our local knowledge to reach even more people." "Our contact tracers have undergone the national Test and Trace training programme and are familiar with Surrey's local areas and communities. Local contact tracing will ensure we reach as many residents as possible who have tested positive for COVID-19 – making sure they self-isolate and have the support, help and advice they need to keep themselves and everyone around them safe."