The switchover from army-run mobile coronavirus testing to private companies has immediately been met with two major bungles across Greater Manchester.
An outbreak of 12 cases at Manchester's Royal Mail depot saw the council pointed in the direction of outsourced company G4S for urgent mass testing - but the firm was unavailable for four days.
While its government contract meant it could only test during the daytime, despite the depot having a large quota of night workers.
Manchester town hall was forced to take up the issue with the Department of Health and Social Care - which is leading the switchover - to allow for more flexibility in the contractor's working arrangement, reports the Manchester Evening News.