Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 35
35
Accepted
Paragraph: 238
The Test and Trace organisation has not, despite its branding, been run by the NHS,...
Recommendation
The Test and Trace organisation has not, despite its branding, been run by the NHS, and has seen senior executives brought in from external bodies for short term contracts which reduces the institutional learning, from what was an intense period, that has been retained. It is a major concern that the new organisation responsible for test and trace is opaque in its structure and organisation.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government accepts the recommendation for transparency, stating that UKHSA already operates within transparency guidance, publishes a wide range of operational data, and releases contracts over £10,000 within 90 days. It also reaffirms its commitment to using lessons learned for future public health planning.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
238
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted
The government accepts this recommendation. The government agrees that the organisation of bodies responsible for testing and tracing should be open and transparent about their operations and decisions. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which has taken over the functions of NHS Test and Trace, operates within the parameters of the Department of Health and Social Care’s transparency guidance and publishes a wide range of data on its operations, including weekly statistics on the numbers of tests conducted, positive cases identified, and contacts traced. All contracts of £10,000 and over are published within 90 days. The government is committed to ensuring that the public continues to have access to comprehensive and timely information on the progress of the pandemic and the government’s response. It is also committed to ensuring that lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic are used to inform future public health planning and response.
Read the full response on Parliament ↗