Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 10
10
It is fortunate that the majority of the ventilators were not needed and that there...
Conclusion
It is fortunate that the majority of the ventilators were not needed and that there is now additional capacity if they should be required in the future. Nevertheless, we are concerned that the Department was not able to give a clear explanation of how it now assesses whether the NHS has sufficient ventilators and other critical equipment for any future need. It told us that its approach to decision making has changed fundamentally since the initial crisis. It said that it has largely “moved away from mathematical models” and that decision making is now more strongly driven by the “situation of the day. It explained that it now uses daily data and the knowledge of how infection rates translate into the numbers of patients requiring hospitalisation and more intensive treatment to assess the situation at a point in time. However, it also emphasised that the number of ventilators the NHS will ultimately need will depend on the non-pharmaceutical interventions, such as lockdowns, that the government puts in place and the level of public compliance with the rules.16 14 C&AG’s Report paras 2.12, 2.14 & Figure 2 15 Qq 62–64; C&AG’s Report paras 7, 2.16 16 Q 121 12 Covid-19: Supply of ventilators 2 The government’s approach to securing ventilators The credibility of suppliers
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
2: PAC conclusion: It is not clear how the Department of Health and Social Care is assessing whether the NHS has enough critical care equipment for future demand. 2: PAC recommendation: The Department of Health and Social Care should write to us within one month of this report explaining its current methodology for assessing 6 COVID-19: Supply of ventilators whether it has all the equipment it needs to respond effectively to the pandemic. 2.1 The government agrees with this recommendation. Re commendation implemented 2.2 Given the exceptional circumstances of the pandemic, since March 2020, DHSC and NHS E/I have worked together to provide additional support to NHS trusts to help ensure sufficient medical equipment, including ventilators, were available. 2.3 This has included the direct purchase by the government of 22,300 mechanical ventilators, 12,150 non-invasive ventilators, 9,500 CPAP machines and thousands more items of associated medical equipment. DHSC has also worked with NHS E/I to develop and implement an escalation and national loan process through which trusts could make urgent requests for this equipment which was then quickly and efficiently distributed to where it was needed. More information about this national loan process can be found on NHS England’s website. 2.4 Since March, over 30,000 items of equipment have been distributed across the UK through these processes, however significant volumes of equipment remain available in national stocks to distribute to Trusts (through Regional teams) if they need them. 2.5 Therefore, the department have assured themselves that the NHS have both the right processes in place and hold sufficient stock, to ensure trusts have all the equipment they need to respond to the pandemic.