Source · National Audit Office

Protecting and supporting the clinically extremely vulnerable during lockdown

Published: 10 Feb 2021 Recommendations: 7 Type: Value for Money NAO confirmed: 6 Department: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

This report looks at how effectively government met the needs of clinically extremely vulnerable through the shielding programme.

Dept: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Topics: COVID-19Health and social careLocal service deliveryLocal services and housingPublic health nao.org.uk →

Recommendations

7 items

7 accepted 6 implemented

Rec	Recommendation	Addressee	Acceptance	Implementation
1	DHSC should ensure that healthcare data systems allow easy, but secure, access to healthcare data; Ref Page 14, paragraph 31, point a · Implemented Q4 2022/23	Department of Health and Social Care	Accepted	Implemented ✓ NAO
2	NHSE&I and NHS Digital should set out how they will improve the accuracy of patient telephone numbers to improve the speed of communication with patients; Ref Page 14, paragraph 31, point b · Implemented 10/2021	NHS Digital; NHS England and NHS Improvement	Accepted	Implemented ✓ NAO
3	DHSC should set out the core data requirements it is likely to need in a future pandemic or civil emergency and how it can access these data in a timely manner; Ref Page 14, paragraph 31, point c · Implemented Q4 2024/25	Department of Health and Social Care	Accepted	Implemented ✓ NAO
4	DHSC should establish a robust plan on how to communicate clearly, quickly and consistently with CEV people to ensure that people are clear if they need to shield, why they need to shield, how to shield and the support available to them; Ref Page 14, paragraph 31, point d · Implemented Q1 2024/25	Department of Health and Social Care	Accepted	Implemented
5	By April 2021, MHCLG should review the effectiveness of the new National Shielding Service System, introduced for the second lockdown, to ensure that it provides intended benefits; Ref Page 14, paragraph 31, point e	Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government	Accepted	Not relevant ✓ NAO
6	MHCLG should set out how it can establish the capacity and capability of local authorities to support shielding-type exercises in a timely way in the event of future pandemics or civil emergencies and how it can engage more effectively with local authorities; Ref Page 14, paragraph 31, point f · Implemented Q4 2021-22	Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government	Accepted	Implemented ✓ NAO
7	For future pandemic planning, government should consider how it will approach balancing the relative merits of central, universal offers of support against targeted local support. Ref Page 14, paragraph 31, point g · Implemented Q4 2021-22	Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government	Accepted	Implemented ✓ NAO