Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 4
4
Accepted
There is considerable learning from the COVID-19 vaccine programme that might apply elsewhere, both in...
Recommendation
There is considerable learning from the COVID-19 vaccine programme that might apply elsewhere, both in the health sector, such as screening programmes and routine vaccinations, and across wider government. In our March 2022 report on government preparedness for the pandemic, we noted the importance of learning lessons from the COVID-19 response. The NAO identified several factors behind the significant success of the vaccine programme, including how it acted decisively at an early stage, how it clearly set out competing risks, and its effective use of data. These are areas where we have found some other parts of the government’s COVID-19 response lacking. While recognising that the COVID-19 vaccine programme was an emergency response, we also see potential for learning for business-as-usual activities. Recommendation: The Department should carry out a systematic exercise to identify successes and other lessons from the programme and, within six months of this report, communicate to the Committee the main improvements it will make as a result in other health programmes, as well as any wider applications to emergency response planning or other government programmes.
Government Response Summary
The government agreed to identify successes and lessons from the COVID-19 vaccine programme and communicate to the Committee the main improvements it will make as a result in other health programmes and wider government.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Spring 2023 4.2 There are many important lessons to be learned from the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out which will have application across other public health programmes and beyond. 4.3 In practice, lessons learned to date are already influencing work across the health system. NHSE is leading development of an integrated immunisations strategy, aiming to align vaccination and immunisation services over the longer-term, drawing on the successes and lessons from the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, and with a focus on uptake and addressing health inequalities, data and technology, vaccine delivery models, and how vaccination services can support wider public health and prevention. Stakeholder engagement is being undertaken, with early recommendations expected to be produced by spring 2023. 4.4 The department is also committed to continually learning and developing pandemic preparedness planning, integrating new scientific information and learning from outbreaks, including COVID-19. 4.5 The department will continue to work across the health system to learn lessons from the pandemic response and identify opportunities for future innovation. 4.6 The department will write to the Committee setting out the main improvements being made as a result of this work as requested in the recommendation.