Organisations with an interest in health and social care have a final opportunity to become a core participant in Scotland’s COVID-19 Inquiry.

A representative from the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry told healthandcare.scot it wants to ensure that ‘the widest range of organisations and individuals’ with an interest in health and social care have an opportunity to apply before impact hearings begin in autumn.

They said that the Inquiry – which will accept new core participant and funding applications until the 14^th of April – will not be delayed by the reopening.

A total of 29 organisations, including the ALLIANCE, Scottish Care and the Care Inspectorate, have already been granted core participant status.

Doctor representation is notably absent from within the current core participant list, as no applications were received from this group during the first round of applications.

A representative from the Inquiry said it is not seeking applications to become a core participant from any specific group or individual.

Core participants will be able to make statements to the Inquiry at public hearings, and propose and ask questions of witness.

They can also have legal representatives to assist with evidence-giving and the process and will receive advanced copies of the Inquiry’s reports.

However, organisations do not have to be core participants to take part in the inquiry and will have a chance to engage with the Inquiry during its listening project and in response to calls for written evidence.

More than £3.3m of public funds has been spent on the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry since its launch in May 2022 up to the end of December 2022.

Chair of the Inquiry, Lord Brailsfor, is responsible for ensuring the Inquiry proceeds with ‘reasonable speed and without excessive expense’.

In the Inquiry’s protocol, it says that granting too many core participants ‘would likely make the Inquiry unmanageable and defeat its purpose’.

The impact of the pandemic, including the implementation of measures and decision-making, on health and care will be the first focus of the Inquiry.

This is to be followed by education and young people, then finance, business and welfare.

Applications to become a core participant will be reopened for organisations and individuals with an interest in these themes too, according to an Inquiry representative.

All core participants within health and social care will meet with the Inquiry Chair and senior legal team later this month to hear more information on plans for public impact hearing set to begin this autumn.

Read more: Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry core participants revealed; Future shielding unlikely, as risk list scrapped; Care home death inquiries unresolved

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