Daniel Zeichner MP has reacted with fury that hard working care home staff are being forced to drive to Stansted for a vital coronavirus test rather than being tested in Cambridge.

After mounting criticism over Coronavirus in care homes Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he was “determined” to ensure every carer who needed a test had access to one.

But low-paid Cambridge carers will have to make a 60 mile round trip as they are not allowed to use the testing facilities at Papworth.

A quarter of care workers are on zero-hours contracts and the average pay for a carer in the independent sector is £8.10 per hour, according to Skills for Care. Many do not have access to a car.

Daniel Zeichner MP said: “Care workers are still not getting the respect and protection they deserve. They are working under incredible pressure and watching people die in front of their eyes. Now they are expected to drive to Essex to get a test. Surely there is a better solution than that? After all NHS staff can get a test at Papworth. Care staff working in residential homes tell me they feel they are bottom of the priority list for testing and are being treated like second class citizens.”