A FRONTLINE clinician tasked with controlling the spread of coronavirus has slammed the handling of the outbreak as “absolutely shambolic”.

The medic said he is one of around 500 clinical staff working to stem the transmission of Covid-19 in Sussex after five people tested positive for the virus and dozens more were told to go into isolation.

He revealed more than 50 people in the county have been told to self-isolate as they wait for test results.

Speaking to The Argus anonymously, he said there was a “disgusting” level of complacency from the Government’s health agency Public Health England, as well as disarray in the NHS.

He said there was no proper mechanism for health workers suspected of having the virus to refer themselves to Public Health England.

And he criticised the lack of communication between different public health bodies.

He said: “There is a great disparity between what we’re being told and what we’re seeing on the front line.

“It has been an absolute shambles. I don’t know of a clinician involved who wouldn’t agree.

“I have been working to identify and test for coronavirus, along with 500 other clinicians. I have been directly involved in treating it.

“The way this is being handled is scary. Coronavirus could be insignificant to many people. But it could be so dangerous to those who are vulnerable – people with weak immune systems and the elderly, for example.

“Early identification and testing is the key way to stop the spread of the virus.

“But there’s been very little communication between different health bodies. It took eight to ten days for them to finally agree on how things are going to be done.

“A&E is told one thing, GPs are told another, and NHS 111 yet another. There is no joined up communication.”

There have been no new cases of the virus in the city since Wednesday.

On that day, Steve Walsh, the businessman from Hove linked to 11 cases of coronavirus, including five in France and four in Brighton, was given the all-clear and discharged from hospital.

Eight of the nine people being treated for the virus in the UK have now been discharged.

The clinician said when a confirmed case of coronavirus is identified, it is being “managed appropriately”.

But he said: “The failure is in identifying the potential cases and testing for them”.

Earlier this week, two doctors – one at County Oak Medical Centre in Brighton, and another who worked at the A&E unit in Worthing, tested positive for the virus.

Several patients who came into contact with them were kept in isolation. Public Health England said it had managed to contact all those identified as close contacts of the confirmed cases in Brighton.

But the clinician cast doubt on Public Health England’s reassurance.

He said: “Let’s say you went to the surgery where a doctor was infected, or the A&E department where the doctor with coronavirus was working.

“If you were a staff member who just happened to share that environment, and you weren’t treating a patient, you wouldn’t get tested – even if you were in close proximity with them.

“You could have staff in A&E who were exposed to someone with coronavirus who are not tested.

“There are some cases where people have had worrying exposure and been denied testing.”

Earlier this week, The Argus reported on a nurse who said she had been in direct contact with someone suspected of having the virus. She claims she was not given proper advice, and had to wait 15 hours for information on how to get tested after calling NHS 111.

She said she was sent home from her place of work in a taxi. She claims she was wearing a face mask – and the driver was not.

The clinician who spoke to The Argus said: “Healthcare workers are moving around freely and not being tested.

“I do not think there is a specific way for healthcare professionals to access the testing.

“You have to call 111 just like everyone else – which is what happened with the nurse you reported on recently.

“You have to call just like a regular member of the public, even though you have been treating someone who may have the virus.

“We’ve already had healthcare workers coming back from France and passing coronavirus on to others.

“If we look at how many people involved in this are healthcare professionals, it would make sense to test the ones who have been in contact with suspected cases. Then we could have a clear line of defence. But we have to face the realisation that we may have lost control of this in Sussex.”

The NHS was contacted for comment. Public Health England said: “PHE is working very closely with the NHS and Brighton council to ensure local people are not at risk. We’ve been working around the clock to quickly trace all contacts of confirmed cases in the area in order to stop the spread of the virus.”