£1bn 'at risk' in disputed pandemic PPE contracts signed by DHSC
22 Nov 2023 Health & Social Care
£1bn 'at risk' in disputed pandemic PPE contracts signed by DHSC
Health department in negotiations over 36 contracts, with 3.8 billion items of PPE procured for Covid deemed not fit for purpose
Covid Inquiry: Government wasn’t ‘electrified’ by threat from virus, Whitty says
22 Nov 2023 Health & Social Care
Covid Inquiry: Government wasn’t ‘electrified’ by threat from virus, Whitty says
Chief medical officer says “hard geopolitical threats” are treated differently to health emergencies
Covid Inquiry: Whitty not consulted on break-up of Public Health England
21 Nov 2023 Health & Social Care
Covid Inquiry: Whitty not consulted on break-up of Public Health England
Chief medical officer says lack of investment to blame for test-and-trace shortcomings
Covid Inquiry: Cabinet Office’s initial response structure ‘was source of confusion’
08 Nov 2023 Health & Social Care
Covid Inquiry: Cabinet Office’s initial response structure ‘was source of confusion’
Ministerial Implementation Group model was ditched because of overlaps and lack of clarity over responsibility
Johnson and Sunak ‘blindsided’ Covid Taskforce with Eat Out to Help Out scheme
08 Nov 2023 Health & Social Care
Johnson and Sunak ‘blindsided’ Covid Taskforce with Eat Out to Help Out scheme
Officials at the heart of government’s pandemic response were kept in the dark about bid to boost footfall at restaurants and cafés, inquiry hears
Covid Inquiry: Hancock was a serial ‘over-promiser’ not a liar, perm sec says
03 Nov 2023 Health & Social Care
Covid Inquiry: Hancock was a serial ‘over-promiser’ not a liar, perm sec says
Chris Wormald rejects criticisms DHSC was structurally “chaotic”, “dysfunctional” and “ungovernable”
Covid Inquiry: 2020 back-to-office drive ‘made absolutely no sense’
02 Nov 2023 Health & Social Care
Covid Inquiry: 2020 back-to-office drive ‘made absolutely no sense’
Government ditched science and followed media and Conservative MPs, former No.10 comms chief Lee Cain says
Lee Cain: Comms professionals 'were shaping Covid policy because no one else was'
31 Oct 2023 Health & Social Care
Lee Cain: Comms professionals 'were shaping Covid policy because no one else was'
Former No.10 comms director tells inquiry the Covid pandemic was the "wrong crisis" for Boris Johnson’s "skill set"
Essential public services breaking down, report warns
30 Oct 2023 Health & Social Care
Essential public services breaking down, report warns
Performance tracker highlights “dire state” of public services, amid predictions they are set to decline further
ONS statistician honoured for lifesaving pandemic work  
25 Oct 2023 Health & Social Care
ONS statistician honoured for lifesaving pandemic work  
Vahé Nafilyan "wasn’t afraid to put novel ideas forward" when Covid hit, national statistician says
DHSC details £700m NHS plans to counter unsafe concrete
18 Oct 2023 Health & Social Care
DHSC details £700m NHS plans to counter unsafe concrete
Second perm sec Shona Dunn tells MPs four-year RAAC bill is “likely” to rise if capital contingency spending is prioritised
Arrogance among officials compromised Covid response, nudge unit boss claims
16 Oct 2023 Health & Social Care
Arrogance among officials compromised Covid response, nudge unit boss claims
Government advisers accused of being reluctant to learn from other countries, inquiry documents show