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Sixth Report - Coronavirus: lessons learned to date

Health and Social Care Committee HC 92 Published 12 October 2021
Report Status
Government responded
Conclusions & Recommendations
200 items (44 recs)
Government Response
AI assessment · 155 of 200 classified
Accepted 37
Accepted in Part 21
Acknowledged 23
Deferred 1
Not Addressed 61
Rejected 12
Government response
Government’s Response to the Health and Social Care Committee and Science and Technology Committee Joint Report: Coronavirus: Lessons Learned to Date · published 30 Jun 2022
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Recommendations & Conclusions

21 items
59 Conclusion Accepted in Part

Previous exercises to test the national response capability, namely Exercises Cygnus and Winter Willow, did...

Conclusion
Previous exercises to test the national response capability, namely Exercises Cygnus and Winter Willow, did not squarely address a disease with the characteristics of covid-19. Nevertheless, some useful lessons were learned and applied, such as the drafting of legislative measures … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts the (implied) recommendation, agreeing on the importance of learning and engagement, and detailing how the Cabinet Office is reviewing and improving the NSRA methodology to increase expert accessibility and challenge, alongside committing to international learning and frameworks for emergency preparedness.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Department of Health and Social Care
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64 Recommendation Accepted in Part

A greater diversity of expertise and challenge—including from practitioners from other countries and a wider...

Recommendation
A greater diversity of expertise and challenge—including from practitioners from other countries and a wider range of disciplines—should be included in the framing of the National Risk Register and the plans that emanate from it. Plans for the future should … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts, agreeing to flexible engagement and commissioning the Royal Academy of Engineering to review the NSRA methodology and recommend improvements for external expert challenge and diversity. The Cabinet Office is also considering ways to increase expert accessibility and challenge.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Department of Health and Social Care
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69 Recommendation Accepted in Part

The Armed Forces should have a more central and standing role in preparing for and...

Recommendation
The Armed Forces should have a more central and standing role in preparing for and responding to emergencies like pandemics, given the depth of capability and experience they have in planning, logistics and rapid mobilisation. The Civil Contingencies Secretariat should … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts, acknowledging the Armed Forces' important role and committing the Civil Contingencies Secretariat to continue working with them to improve operational expertise. However, it also emphasizes the primary leadership role of civilian agencies in future emergency responses.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Department of Health and Social Care
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78 Conclusion Accepted in Part

As a result, decisions on lockdowns and social distancing during the early weeks of the...

Conclusion
As a result, decisions on lockdowns and social distancing during the early weeks of the pandemic—and the advice that led to them—rank as one of the most important public health failures the United Kingdom has ever experienced. This happened despite … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts the need to learn lessons, agreeing to continuous engagement with international partners and disciplines. The Cabinet Office is considering ways to increase external expert access and challenge to the National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA) process as its methodology review concludes.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Department of Health and Social Care
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94 Conclusion Accepted in Part

The UK did not impose blanket or rigorous border controls at the onset of the...

Conclusion
The UK did not impose blanket or rigorous border controls at the onset of the covid-19 pandemic as compared to other countries, particularly in East and South East Asia.140 Instead, the UK implemented light-touch border controls only on countries and … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts the implied need for learning, agreeing to engage with other countries and improve the National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA) methodology to increase accessibility for external experts and diversify challenge, emphasizing learning from international practice for future emergencies.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Department of Health and Social Care
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96 Recommendation Accepted in Part

In the paragraphs that follow we consider some of the potential explanations of why the...

Recommendation
In the paragraphs that follow we consider some of the potential explanations of why the initial decision-making on lockdowns was wrong, and what lessons can be drawn for the future from this. Should the Government have unilaterally taken a precautionary … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts, agreeing to positive learning and international engagement, and committing to review the National Risk Assessment (NSRA) methodology to increase accessibility for external experts and diversity of challenge.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Department of Health and Social Care
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104 Conclusion Accepted in Part

Evidence to the Science and Technology Committee from other academic disciplines included scepticism of the...

Conclusion
Evidence to the Science and Technology Committee from other academic disciplines included scepticism of the weight being placed on mathematical models during the pandemic. For example Professor Sir John Kay, Economist and Fellow in Economics, St 152 Correspondence from Rt … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government states that future policy development should involve greater questioning and challenge from Ministers, taking a more robust approach. It commits that the government and SAGE should facilitate strong external and structured challenge to scientific advice from diverse disciplines and international experts.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Department of Health and Social Care
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106 Conclusion Accepted in Part

Professor Chris Whitty noted that he preferred advice to be given on the basis of...

Conclusion
Professor Chris Whitty noted that he preferred advice to be given on the basis of observed data, telling the Science and Technology Committee in November 2020: “It is important to say that a lot of the advice that I have … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government states that future policy development should involve greater questioning and challenge from Ministers, taking a more robust approach. It commits that the government and SAGE should facilitate strong external and structured challenge to scientific advice from diverse disciplines and international experts.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Department of Health and Social Care
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107 Conclusion Accepted in Part

Yet despite this, throughout the pandemic, detailed modelled projections have assumed a great prominence and...

Conclusion
Yet despite this, throughout the pandemic, detailed modelled projections have assumed a great prominence and have evidently had great influence on Government decisions. Indeed, the publication of the Imperial study of 16 March, is often cited as one of the … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government states that future policy development should involve greater questioning and challenge from Ministers, taking a more robust approach. It commits that the government and SAGE should facilitate strong external and structured challenge to scientific advice from diverse disciplines and international experts.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Department of Health and Social Care
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114 Conclusion Accepted in Part

Dr Horton expressed concerns about the evidence base that SAGE in its early meetings drew...

Conclusion
Dr Horton expressed concerns about the evidence base that SAGE in its early meetings drew upon. Referring to scientists in East Asia, Dr Horton told the Science and Technology Committee: If I had been Chair of SAGE, I would have … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government states that future policy development should involve greater questioning and challenge from Ministers, taking a more robust approach. It commits that the government and SAGE should facilitate strong external and structured challenge to scientific advice from diverse disciplines and international experts.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Department of Health and Social Care
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131 Conclusion Accepted in Part

At the press conference, modelling projections were presented which warned of a risk to the...

Conclusion
At the press conference, modelling projections were presented which warned of a risk to the ability of the NHS to cope with likely hospital admissions unless the proposed measures were taken. Sir Patrick Vallance in evidence to the Science and … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts, agreeing on the importance of learning from and engaging with other countries and disciplines. It describes the ongoing review of the NSRA methodology by the Cabinet Office to increase accessibility for external experts and diversify challenge in risk assessment.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Department of Health and Social Care
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132 Conclusion Accepted in Part

However, it emerged during the following days that the modelling that was presented at the...

Conclusion
However, it emerged during the following days that the modelling that was presented at the press conference was based on data that had been superseded by more up-to-date information. It also emerged that the forecasts did not include the impact … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts, agreeing on the importance of learning from and engaging with other countries and disciplines. It describes the ongoing review of the NSRA methodology by the Cabinet Office to increase accessibility for external experts and diversify challenge in risk assessment.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Department of Health and Social Care
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171 Conclusion Accepted in Part

As a result the UK squandered a leading position in diagnostics and converted it into...

Conclusion
As a result the UK squandered a leading position in diagnostics and converted it into one of permanent crisis. On 12 March, testing for covid-19 other than in hospitals was halted. In part this was because of the inadequacy of … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts the implied need for learning, agreeing to engage with other countries and improve the National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA) methodology to increase accessibility for external experts and diversify challenge, emphasizing learning from international practice for future emergencies.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Department of Health and Social Care
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172 Conclusion Accepted in Part

Shortly after this seminal failure, in mid-March 2020 responsibility for the testing strategy was taken...

Conclusion
Shortly after this seminal failure, in mid-March 2020 responsibility for the testing strategy was taken over by the Department of Health and Social Care from Public Health England.256 It was not until 18 May 2020, when the first wave of … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts the implied need for learning, agreeing to engage with other countries and improve the National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA) methodology to increase accessibility for external experts and diversify challenge, emphasizing learning from international practice for future emergencies.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Department of Health and Social Care
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177 Conclusion Accepted in Part

As noted earlier, the failure to have enough testing capacity in the early weeks of...

Conclusion
As noted earlier, the failure to have enough testing capacity in the early weeks of the pandemic contributed to a lack of knowledge as to how the infection was spreading in the country. Speaking to us in November 2020, Professor … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts the implied need for learning, agreeing to engage with other countries and improve the National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA) methodology to increase accessibility for external experts and diversify challenge, emphasizing learning from international practice for future emergencies.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Department of Health and Social Care
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7 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Para 64

A greater diversity of expertise and challenge—including from practitioners from other countries and a wider...

Recommendation
A greater diversity of expertise and challenge—including from practitioners from other countries and a wider range of disciplines—should be included in the framing of the National Risk Register and the plans that emanate from it. Plans for the future should … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts the recommendation, noting it has commissioned the Royal Academy of Engineering to review the NSRA methodology to improve expert challenge, and is considering ways to increase external expert accessibility and diversity of challenge. It also highlights ongoing international learning and engagement through frameworks like NATO and UN Sendai.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Department of Health and Social Care
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9 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Para 66

The Government should ensure comprehensive plans are made for future risks and emergencies.

Recommendation
The Government should ensure comprehensive plans are made for future risks and emergencies. The UK should aim to be a world leader in co-ordinating international resilience planning, including reform of the World Health Organisation to ensure that it is able … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts the recommendation, agreeing on the importance of comprehensive planning and UK leadership in international resilience. It commits to specific actions regarding World Health Organisation (WHO) reform, including playing a key role in developing a new WHO convention and supporting its wider reform efforts to strengthen its role in future pandemics.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Department of Health and Social Care
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17 Recommendation Accepted in Part

Building on the experience of staff working more flexibly during the pandemic and to enable...

Recommendation
Building on the experience of staff working more flexibly during the pandemic and to enable more flexible staffing in the NHS, NHS England and Health Education England should develop proposals to better enable NHS staff to change clinical specialty mid- … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts the recommendation, detailing ongoing work by NHS England and HEE to create a more flexible workforce, including exploring routes for doctors to change specialties and making curricula more flexible for training in sub-specialties.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Department of Health and Social Care
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22 Conclusion Accepted in Part
Para 156

The second wave of covid infections, hospitalisations and deaths during the autumn and winter of...

Conclusion
The second wave of covid infections, hospitalisations and deaths during the autumn and winter of 2020/21 was significantly driven by the emergence of a new variant, known as the Kent or Alpha variant. It is likely that a “circuit break” … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts, responding with a focus on general positive learning, engagement with other countries and disciplines, and efforts to improve the National Risk Assessment (NSRA) process and external expert challenge.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Department of Health and Social Care
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27 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Para 161

In a pandemic, the scientific advice from the SAGE co-chairs to the Government should be...

Recommendation
In a pandemic, the scientific advice from the SAGE co-chairs to the Government should be published within 24 hours of it being given, or the policy being decided, whichever is the later, to ensure the opportunity for rapid scientific challenge … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts the recommendation for transparency, but states that publishing SAGE advice and papers within 24-48 hours is not always feasible due to complexity, quality assurance needs, and sensitive content.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Department of Health and Social Care
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32 Conclusion Accepted in Part
Para 235

The new Test and Trace operation eventually established in May 2020 was a step in...

Conclusion
The new Test and Trace operation eventually established in May 2020 was a step in the right direction but set up much too late. Because of that delay there was huge pressure to get results quickly which meant that it … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts, focusing on general learning from international practice, improving the National Risk Assessment (NSRA) methodology, and increasing accessibility for external experts, rather than specifically addressing the centralization or timing of the Test and Trace system.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Department of Health and Social Care
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