Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 170
170
Rejected
In evidence to the Science and Technology Committee on 25 March 2020 Public Health England...
Conclusion
In evidence to the Science and Technology Committee on 25 March 2020 Public Health England claimed to have formally studied, but rejected, the South Korean approach.255 Despite repeated requests by the Committee no evidence of such an evaluation has ever been produced. We must conclude that no formal evaluation took place which amounts to an extraordinary and negligent omission given Korea’s success in containing the pandemic which was well-publicised at the time.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government partially accepts the recommendation by agreeing it is important to learn from other countries and detailing how UKHSA will facilitate this. However, it explicitly rejects the committee's specific conclusion that a negligent omission occurred or that a culture of rejecting assistance was established regarding the South Korean approach.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government · verbatim extract
Rejected
The government partially accepts this recommendation. The government agrees that it is important to study and learn from the practices of other countries, which it has done through organisations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). UKHSA will build on this legacy. UKHSA will deliver a world-class health security system to protect the nation from current and future health threats. It will be an expert organisation with global ambition, delivering a robust UK health security capability for the next decade and beyond. This will include ensuring that UKHSA builds strong relationships with leading international public health organisations and countries globally. UKHSA will monitor health threats, and actively seek and share learning and best practice internationally, whilst retaining the flexibility to respond to threats and emergencies based on the specific circumstances of the UK. This will be in addition to the robust mechanisms that already exist for international collaboration and data sharing across government and with other health and care partners, including the WHO and ECDC. While the government agrees that it is important to learn from the practices of other countries, it does not accept that a culture of rejecting assistance was established. The government engaged with many international partners throughout the pandemic, including the WHO and ECDC, and has ensured that an expert organisation with global ambition, UKHSA, will be an expert organisation, delivering a robust UK health security capability for the next decade and beyond.
Read the full response on Parliament ↗