The Covid-19 pandemic has served as a grim reminder of the vulnerabilities within our public health systems and the dire consequences of insufficient preparedness.

In response to the tragic loss of lives, the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK, a collective of over 7,000 family members who lost loved ones to the virus, have put together a report aimed at presenting life-saving measures to the government for the next inevitable pandemic.

‘Act Now, Save Lives: Preparing for the Next Pandemic’ was presented at Parliament earlier today with the aim of encouraging wholesale improvements to future pandemic preparedness.

The report outlines a blueprint to achieve this, set out in recommendations, grouped into three key areas: Duties and Bodies, Data, and Transparency. The 22 recommendations set out in the report include:

1. Appoint a Secretary of State for Resilience and Civil Emergencies.
2. Make the Secretary of State for Resilience responsible for whole systems risks.
3. Create a UK Standing Scientific Committee on Pandemics.
4. Establish a National Office for Resilience.
5. Require anyone involved in resilience to report capacity and resource issues.
6. Introduce a National Care Service.
7. Ensure pandemic planning and guidance are up to date.
8. Assign a Cabinet Minister to be responsible for disabled people.
9. Train officials in decision making under uncertainty.
10. Diversify SAGE to include devolved and international experts.
11. Audit the UK's capacity to respond to infectious diseases.
12. Fund research into reducing pandemic inequalities.
13. Update and share data requirements with local areas.
14. Establish a 'Red Team' to challenge pandemic plans.
15. Publish a plan to improve health inequalities.
16. Make scientific advice transparent.
17. Ensure test, trace, and isolate capabilities are ready.
18. Include devolved administrations in emergency decision-making.
19. Require a member of the Standing Scientific Committee to attend crisis meetings.
20. Legally oblige the Government to report incoming threats.
21. Consider the health impact on the economy in public health spending.
22. Ensure government decisions are debated and recorded transparently.

The full list of recommendations and their reasoning can be found in the report here.

The report comes following recommendations set forward by the Chair of the Inquiry, Baroness Heather Hallett. We know all too well that while recommendations and reports are produced following public inquiries, such as the interim reports that came out of the Manchester Arena Inquiry, they are not always actioned by the government. The Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice have taken these recommendations and have produced the Act Now: Save Lives report to add pressure to our government and stress that these recommendations should not just fall to the side but should be implemented urgently in order to save lives in the future. The group’s report spells out how to ensure that planning for another pandemic would not be inadequate, outdated, and poorly communicated across the Government and the public.

Clare Fletcher, Internal Head of Covid Inquiry at Broudie Jackson Canter,  attended parliament with the group. She is currently leading the team on Module 3, which looks at the impact of Covid 19 on healthcare systems.

If you or a loved one has been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, you can receive legal representation by joining the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK. If you are interested, please make an enquiry, or give us a call.