The government set up the UK Covid-19 Inquiry (the Inquiry) to examine the UK's preparedness and response to the pandemic, and to learn lessons for the future. Its chair is Baroness Heather Hallett DBE.
The inquiry was officially launched by Baroness Hallett on 21 July 2022. During the launch she set out her approach to the inquiry as well as the timetable.
The chair is taking a modular approach to the Inquiry and to date she has announced three modules with teams set up across the UK to investigate and report on each module. These will be followed by public hearings chaired by Baroness Hallett. Further modules will be announced in due course. The third module investigation was launched on 8 November and it will examine the impact on the health sector including the impact of Covid-19 and of the governmental and societal responses to it, on healthcare systems and patients, hospital and other healthcare workers and staff. The provisional scope for module three has been published and the preliminary hearing will take place on 28 February 2023. Among other issues, it will investigate healthcare systems and governance, hospitals, primary care, the impact on NHS backlogs and non-Covid treatments, the effects on healthcare provision of vaccination programmes, and long COVID diagnosis and support.
The inquiry has now launched its listening exercise where members of the public, including people working in the health sector, can share their experiences with the inquiry. Information gathered through the listening exercise will be analysed and reported to the inquiry.
If you are a trust, and would like to get in touch with us about the inquiry, please contact senior inquiry and legislation manager Finola Kelly or head of policy and public affairs Ferelith Gaze.
