Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 27
27
Accepted
Department still lacks a clear plan for future pandemic stockpile requirements.
Conclusion
We recommended in our reports on the Department’s 2020–21 and 2021–22 Annual Reports and Accounts that the Department should develop a clear plan for a stockpile for a future pandemic. In response to our report on the 2021–22 Annual Report and Accounts, in September 2023 the Department told us that it was working closely with SCCL on the necessary volumes of PPE that were needed to provide resilience to future pandemics and was preparing advice on both short-term procurements and longer-term resilience. It committed to continuing to refine its approach over time based on the latest information available.48 When we asked for an update the Department reported that it was still deciding what stockpiles it needs for a future pandemic, and will also update 44 Qq 18–19; C&AG’s Report, Department of Health and Social Care Annual Report and Accounts 2022–23, HC 33, 25 January 2024, page 224; Committee of Public Accounts, Sixty-Second Report of Session 2022–23, Department of Health and Social Care 2021–22 Annual Report and Accounts, HC 997, 5 July 2023, para 1; HM Treasury, Treasury Minutes – Government Response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Sixty-first to the Sixty- seventh reports from Session 2022–23, CP 941, September 2023, para 1.3 45 Qq 16–18; Committee of Public Accounts, Sixty-Second Report of Session 2022–23, Department of Health and Social Care 2021–22 Annual Report and Accounts, HC 997, 5 July 2023 46 Qq 24–25, 27, 32 47 Letter from Andy Brittain, Director General Finance, DHSC, to Dame Meg Hillier, Chair, Committee of Public Accounts, Re: Public Accounts Committee: DHSC Annual Report and Accounts 2022–23, dated 27 March 2024 48 Committee of Public Accounts, Sixty-Second Report of Session 2022–23, Department of Health and Social Care 2021–22 Annual Report and Accounts, HC 997, 5 July 2023, para 2; HM Treasury, Treasury Minutes – Government Response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Sixty-first to the Sixty-seventh reports from Session 2022–23
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the committee's findings, has replenished pandemic preparedness PPE stockpiles using excess stock, and will begin dynamic stockpiling from autumn 2024, committing to update the committee by the end of 2024.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
5.9 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Summer 2025 5.10 The department has replenished pandemic preparedness PPE stockpiles using excess stock originally procured for the COVID-19 pandemic where possible and appropriate. For a portion of this excess stock, it is possible to implement dynamic stockpiling (where pandemic preparedness stock is rotated into NHS business-as-usual (BAU) stock), and this will begin from autumn 2024. This can reduce re-procurement and disposal costs and represent better value-for-money. All stockpiled product is maintained and managed by Supply Chain Coordination Limited (SCCL), underpinned by an active Service Level Agreement with between SCCL and DHSC which is regularly reviewed and updated. The department will look to implement dynamic stockpiling for any newly procured pandemic preparedness PPE, where BAU usage rates enable this. 5.11 Beyond PPE, the department continues to work with the UK Health Security Agency and other stakeholders to ensure that existing stockpiles, or other contractual arrangements, for medical countermeasures (including influenza antivirals, antibiotics and vaccines) are maintained to provide resilience to a future respiratory pandemic. 5.12 The department will write to the new Committee with an update on progress by the end of 2024.