We welcome the publication of the draft terms of reference for the COVID-19 public inquiry, which will scrutinise the impact of the pandemic in the UK and the response of the health and care sector. We know there is much that the NHS and the health sector did well during the pandemic, and we should learn from those experiences as well as those areas where there were major challenges, such as infection prevention and control, access to personal protective equipment, testing, and robust epidemiological modelling.

We are also pleased the draft terms indicate that the inquiry will explore the nation's preparedness, initial capacity, and resilience ahead of, and during the pandemic, and the important focus on inequalities. This submission outlines a number of recommendations for inclusion in the terms of reference for consideration.

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