NHS services are being put at risk because a lack of coronavirus testing is forcing many staff to self-isolate when they could be at work.
NHS Providers, which represents NHS trust leaders says the recovery of services was being put in jeopardy while preparations for the winter pressures of COVID-19 and seasonal flu were being hampered.
It said particular concerns had been raised in Bristol, Leeds and London and there was a lack of detailed operational information on the shortages, such as how long they will last.
Chief Executive Chris Hopson said: “It’s clear that there are current capacity problems with the testing regime.
“Trust leaders from Bristol, Leeds and London have all raised concerns over the weekend about the lack of testing availability leading to greater levels of staff absence.
“It’s not just access for tests for staff members themselves, it’s also access for their family members as NHS workers have to self-isolate if their family members are unable to confirm if they have COVID-19 or not.
“The problem is that NHS trusts are working in the dark – they don’t know why these shortages are occurring, how long they are likely to last, how geographically widespread they are likely to be and what priority will be given to healthcare workers and their families in accessing scarce tests.
“They need to know all this information so that they can plan accordingly.
“For example, trusts need to know if they should try to create or re-establish their own testing facilities as quickly as possible.”
Mr Hopson said NHS trusts were also concerned about the impact of testing shortages on patients who need to be tested before being admitted for hospital treatment.
“We’re aware of a small number of examples of patients being unable to get such tests, which cuts across trusts’ ability to restore services in the way they have been asked to do,” he said.
“We are concerned, for example, that patients waiting for hospital treatment can no longer highlight this fact when applying online to access a test.
“We need to prioritise tests for healthcare workers and their families and patients coming in for treatment, many of whom have already waited longer than normal.”
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Concerns have been growing over the testing regime as the number of coronavirus cases rise, with some people unable to book tests online or having to travel many miles to get tested.
At the weekend leaked documents revealed a backlog of 185,000 swabs. with large numbers of people unlikely to ever get their results.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has said testing capacity has been targeted at the hardest-hit areas following a rise in demand.
An NHS spokeswoman said: “Hospitals continue to fully comply with recommended patient and staff testing protocols. To further support the national Test and Trace programme, NHS hospital labs have now been asked to further expand their successful, fast turnaround and highly accurate, testing capacity.”