Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 5
5
MHCLG and DHSC do not know whether 800,000 clinically extremely vulnerable people slipped through the...
Conclusion
MHCLG and DHSC do not know whether 800,000 clinically extremely vulnerable people slipped through the net and missed out on much needed support. DHSC explains that it took a ‘multi-channel’ approach to engaging with those affected. Through this approach, it focused first on sending letters, then an email, then calls from the contact centre, which was established at a cost of £18.4 million. 1.8 million Covid 19: supporting the vulnerable during lockdown 7 people did not register their needs or respond when contacted by letter, so their details were passed to the contact centre for follow-up. However, the contact centre was unable to get in touch with around 800,000 vulnerable people, despite apparently making hundreds of thousands of calls every day. It took central government one month to pass the details of these people to local authorities, so local authorities could check if they needed help. Crucially, MHCLG has no knowledge of whether local authorities then managed to reach any or all of these people. Recommendation: MHCLG should urgently update the Committee on whether it has now successfully confirmed the support needs of all vulnerable people, including the additional 1.7 million people advised to shield in February 2021.
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
5.1 The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. 5.2 The government disagrees with both the Committee’s conclusion and recom- mendation. People who are clinically extremely vulnerable have been identified by the NHS through clinical records. The government has taken all reasonable steps to alert CEV individuals to shielding guidance and support, including the 1.7 million additional individuals who were advised to shield in February 2021. A letter is sent to all CEV people whenever shielding is introduced, as well as an email where an email address is available. This includes information on the support available and how to register need. CEV people, or someone on their behalf, were able to register on–line through the National Shielding Support Service (NSSS) or contact their council. Councils have also carried out proactive communications to their clinically extremely vulnerable citizens. After July 2020, the Shielding Framework stipulated that councils should contact people who are clinically extremely vulnerable who had recently been added to the SPL, those who registered support needs on the NSSS website and those previously in receipt of support. 5.3 Some people who are clinically extremely vulnerable made a personal choice not to register their support needs; intelligence from local councils gave assurances that most were able to remain self-sufficient and many did not want to be contacted. Regular outcomes data were collected from councils from November 2020 onwards. The figures confirmed that councils were supporting approximately three times more people than had requested support through the NSSS, which provided assurance that they were meeting the needs of their clinically extremely vulnerable populations.