Recommendation 160

HM Government · verbatim extract Not Addressed

The government partially accepts this recommendation. The government engages with other nations and international experts through a range of fora, such as the G7, the G20, and via WHO. With respect to the provision of scientific advice, much engagement with international experts occurred from the outset of the pandemic, and this is an important principle to keep for future emergencies. SAGE has drawn international perspectives from SAGE participants' wider international academic networks. Science is an international endeavour and most if not all of the contributing national academies are in collaboration, or at least discussions, with international counterparts. Effective international collaboration and responsive coordination between national public health institutes (NPHIs), or equivalent public health bodies, is also crucial for sharing data, evidence, and research as the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, as well as for learning from each other. A strong network of NPHIs is needed to strengthen existing networks of Emergency Operation Centres and to build laboratory network capability. Public Health England (PHE) and UKHSA’s active membership in the International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI), comprising 110 members in 95 countries, has been essential for the exchange of information and joint actions. It has also drawn on the network to learn from other countries in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to do so. In addition, through bilateral engagement, DHSC collaborates internationally to exchange knowledge with other countries on matters such as effective future pandemic preparedness. The Department will continue to engage bilaterally with countries from around the world to learn from the breadth of global activity on prevention and detection of infectious diseases, and inform UK thinking where lessons could be learned. This has been reinforced through engagement in the margins of G7 and G20 Health Ministers’ meetings (specifically with the United States, India, Germany, Italy, Singapore, Argentina, Netherlands, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia), as well as through the World Health Assembly and other multilateral fora. The Department will continue to take advantage of bilateral opportunities to learn from international experience and share the UK’s expertise, to improve future pandemic preparedness. It is vital that the work to prepare for the next pandemic is a collaborative global effort by governments, international organisations, and industry partners. The Pandemic Preparedness Partnership’s ‘100 Days Mission’ report,8 which was welcomed by G7 leaders, includes recommendations to guide governments, international organisations, and industry partners on steps which can be taken now and over the longer-term to ensure the mission is achieved. The UK government will work with other nations across the globe to implement these recommendations.