ONLY two care homes in Brighton and Hove have been able to get coronavirus testing despite Government promises, an MP says.

The Government announced three weeks ago that staff and residents in care homes would receive regular Covid tests as part of a new “social care testing strategy”.

But last week, only two of the scores of homes in the city had received tests kits.

A spokesman from Place House Farm in Ladies’ Mile Road, Brighton, said: “We have now been waiting over two weeks for our test kits to turn up. My concerns are that we are not meeting the Government guidelines for testing in care homes and after speaking to other managers in the area, we all seem to be having the same issues.”

Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, has spoken to Boris Johnson about the lack of tests in care homes.

The promise was that staff would receive weekly tests and care home residents would receive a test every 28 days – a commitment the Prime Minister reiterated in an interview with the BBC last Friday.

On a scheduled call with Number 10, Ms Lucas told Mr Johnson this was not happening in Brighton.

She said: “I learned last week that only two care homes in the city had been able to acquire the necessary testing kits.

“That is a shocking record.

“It’s been over three weeks since the Government announced the start of its new social care testing strategy and it still isn’t working as it should.

“We were warned by the World Health Organisation at the very start of this pandemic that testing was key to tackling Covid.

“Regular testing of those on the frontline, like care home staff, is absolutely critical and it isn’t happening, despite what the Prime Minister says.

“This is yet another example of ministers making promises on Covid and failing to deliver.

“We have had so many targets or commitments made over the past months, and each time, the reality falls short.”

Some of the care homes have now lodged formal complaints about the issue with Public Health England.