Nicola Sturgeon has said she “broadly welcomes” the announcement of a full public inquiry into state handling of the pandemic, but said there is “no reason” to delay until spring 2022 – while care providers say the delay in investigating what happened is too long.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed today that an independent public inquiry into the handling of the pandemic would be held in spring next year.

Speaking in the House of Commons today, Mr Johnson said: “Amid such tragedy the state has an obligation to examine its actions as rigorously and as candidly as possible, and to learn every lesson for the future.”

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be consulted on the scope of the inquiry before its scope and terms are published, the Prime Minster added.

Nicola Sturgeon said in response: “We broadly welcome the UK Government joining us in committing to take forward a four nations full public inquiry.

“It is vital this inquiry covers all aspects of the impact and handling of the pandemic, and that bereaved families of covid-19 victims have a say in shaping its scope.

“There is no reason for further delay and I would encourage the UK Government to establish a chair for the inquiry as quickly as possible, so that it can begin its work this year.

“We have tried to learn lessons and continuously adapt our approach to protect our NHS and save lives throughout the pandemic, and it is right that we learn from our experience, and that the voices of families who have lost loved ones are heard. This statutory full public inquiry must be person-centred and take human rights based approach if it is to get the answers we need.”

Scottish Care’s CEO Dr Donald Macaskill said the delay until 2022 has left him “dismayed”:

“Scottish Care is pleased to hear about the announcement of an independent public inquiry...We recognise that such an inquiry will never provide all the answers to the pain and loss which so many thousands are experiencing today. But it is an important step.

“We are however dismayed that this important process will not commence until the spring of 2022. Whilst recognising and understanding the argument that we are not out of the pandemic and that frontline staff continue to be engaged and involved in the fight, we are very concerned that the delay will not bring the necessary early assurance and comfort needed for all those bereaved by the pandemic.

“We are also concerned that a distance of two years plus from the events which the inquiry will need to discuss and investigate will mean that the shared collective memory and understanding of the spring of 2020 will be much harder for people to recall.”

Dr Macaskill said he wanted the scope of the inquiry to include events which took place directly before the pandemic, including resilience planning and preparation “especially as it relates to social care”.

He added: “Lastly, we are aware of the importance of equal representation and would want to ensure that all parties, especially representatives of family and workers, not just those of the Government and the State, are able to have their full participation paid for and supported by an independent fund.”

The Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK group has been calling on the UK government for an inquiry since last summer and said that although the announcement of an inquiry is welcome, waiting until the spring of 2022 was ‘simply too late’ given the risk of a third wave this winter.

As early as May last year Nicola Sturgeon had promised a formal public inquiry into ‘every aspect’ of the pandemic. Despite opposition MSPs in Scotland continuing to call for one, particularly when it came to care homes, the First Minister maintained the time was not yet right for an inquiry, but did commission a national review of social care, which reported in February.

The head of one of Scotland’s biggest care home operators, Robert Kilgour, branded the social care review a premature and political move made at a time when an inquiry carried out over the summer of 2020 would have helped care homes learn the lessons of the first wave and be better prepared for the second.

The proliferation in the number of Do Not Attempt Resuscitation forms when covid hit has been one of the main controversies during the pandemic, alongside the number of deaths that occurred in Scotland’s care home.

In June last year the Scottish Human Rights Commission said the treatment of care home residents during covid could have breached their human rights, and that an inquiry that had been promised by the Scottish government needed to be “fully independent and to report quickly”.

Concerns have not just centred on residential care homes.

When it comes to care provided in people’s own homes, the Commission has also said cuts, and in some cases the complete removal, of care packages ‘basically overnight’ during the pandemic had a ‘direct and detrimental’ effect on people’s rights.

Data published earlier this week showed deaths among people who receive support at home rose by 71% between 2019 to 2020.

Another issue likely to feature in any inquiry is the discharge of patients from hospitals to care homes in Scotland at the start of the pandemic as ministers prepared for the first wave.

 

Read more: Dramatic rise in deaths among home care recipients; Integration ‘underpinned’ rapid virus response; Decades of ‘shameful failures’ at root of care issues

 

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