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Readying the NHS and social care for the COVID-19 peak

Inquiry

On Monday 22 June, in the next of our new series of work on NAO reports into the Government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, we will question the Permanent Secretary and Finance Director at the Department for Health and Social Care; the Chief Executive of the NHS; NHS England; Public Health England and the National Medical Director on the UK’s preparations for the peak of cases and deaths in England.  

The NAO’s report, the basis for our questioning, will provide a factual update on progress with key government actions across health and social care, including:  

  • increasing the availability of healthcare professionals and beds to treat COVID-19 patients while maintaining other essential health services;
  • securing adequate vital supplies, including PPE, testing equipment, and ventilators; and
  • protecting and supporting vulnerable groups, including those residentin care homes and healthcare professionals. 

Questions will focus on the methods used to select providers and award contracts for PPE provision,  the use of consultants and other private contractors in mounting the UK emergency response including building and supplying the Nightingale hospitals, the development of the UK’s testing capacity and contact tracing system, and what capacity the NHS has now to withstand a potential second peak later this year.   

If you have evidence on these questions please submit it here by close of Thursday 18 June 2020.

Reports, special reports and government responses

View all reports and responses
Fourteenth Report: Readying the NHS and social care for the COVID-19 peak
Inquiry Readying the NHS and social care for the COVID-19 peak
HC 405
Report
Response to this report
Correspondence from Julian Kelly, Chief Financial Officer, NHS England, re Public Accounts Committee: Readying the NHS and Social Care for the Covid-19 peak, dated 24 July 2023
Correspondence
Response to this report
Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Fourteenth report from Session 2019-21
Government Response
Correspondence from Julian Kelly, NHS Chief Financial Officer, re Readying the NHS and social care for COVID-19, dated 18 September 2020
Inquiry Readying the NHS and social care for the COVID-19 peak
Correspondence
Correspondence from Public Health England in relation to the Committee's inquiry Readying the NHS and social care for the COVID-19 peak, dated 2 July 2020
Inquiry Readying the NHS and social care for the COVID-19 peak
HC 405
Correspondence

Oral evidence transcripts

View all oral evidence transcripts
22 June 2020
Inquiry Readying the NHS and social care for the COVID-19 peak
Oral Evidence
Mrs Louisa Collyer-Hamlin (External Affairs at Care England) (RSC0001)
Miss Jade Hall (Public Affairs and Campaigns Adviser at Local Government Association) (RSC0002)
Dr. Anil Gumber (RSC0003)

Contact us

  • Email: pubaccom@parliament.uk
  • Phone: 020 7219 8480 (strictly media enquiries only – contact us via our email for general enquiries)
  • Address: Public Accounts Committee, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA