Health officials are being accused of not properly engaging with the lab workforce when it comes to testing capacity.  

Dr Ashley Bloomfield has apologised after overestimating the number of Covid tests that labs could process during the Omicron outbreak.  

It's led to delays of tens of thousands of swabs, with some having to be sent to Queensland. 

Institute of Medical Laboratory Science President Terry Taylor told Mike Hosking this could've been avoided. 

“Suddenly, when we’re needed most, one would have thought that this was the ideal time to call us. We understand how labs work, we understand the logistics.” 

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