Forty-Second Report - COVID-19: Government procurement and supply of Personal Protective Equipment

Select Committee

Public Accounts Committee HC 928 10 February 2021

Report Status Government responded

Conclusions & Recommendations 29 items (11 recs)

Source View on Parliament website

Government Response (AI assessment · 29 of 29 classified)

Accepted 14

Acknowledged 6

Deferred 1

Not Addressed 8

Government response

Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Forty-second report from Session 2019-21 · published 3 Sep 2021

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Recommendations & Conclusions

6 results

13 Conclusion Acknowledged

The Department asserted that while it had deliberately secured a significant stockpile of PPE, it...

Conclusion

The Department asserted that while it had deliberately secured a significant stockpile of PPE, it was not clear it had over-ordered as the stock would be needed for the ongoing COVID crisis. It admitted that it did not have full … Read more

Government Response Summary

The government describes its current PPE strategy, including purchasing based on modelled demand, increased UK manufacturing, a four-month stockpile, and a flexible logistics network. It will provide future information on stockpile management and is reviewing countermeasures for disease outbreaks, implicitly acknowledging the context of the committee's observations.

HM Treasury

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21 Conclusion Acknowledged

The Department explained that its formal reporting arrangements did not identify any provider organisation, in...

Conclusion

The Department explained that its formal reporting arrangements did not identify any provider organisation, in health or social care, as having run out of PPE completely. It monitored the risk that social care could run out within 48 hours. It … Read more

Government Response Summary

The government agrees with the implied "recommendation" (despite the item being a conclusion), acknowledging frontline evidence and stating it has factored this into ongoing customer engagement, improving understanding of user needs, and increasing available PPE options.

HM Treasury

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25 Conclusion Acknowledged

Staff representative organisations ran surveys in which frontline staff reported not having the PPE they...

Conclusion

Staff representative organisations ran surveys in which frontline staff reported not having the PPE they needed. The British Medical Association, the Royal College of 37 Qq 11, 17, 37–38, 66–67, 121, 123 38 Qq 11–12, 17, 23–24, 37, 66, 123; … Read more

Government Response Summary

The government acknowledges the evidence from frontline workers presented in the NAO report regarding insufficient PPE and reuse of single-use items, while asserting that rapid action ensured trusts never stocked out.

HM Treasury

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26 Conclusion Acknowledged

We asked about the experience of BAME staff and whether this had been different to...

Conclusion

We asked about the experience of BAME staff and whether this had been different to that of their white colleagues. The British Medical Association told us that its surveys showed between two and three times as many BAME doctors as … Read more

Government Response Summary

The government acknowledged the evidence regarding BAME staff experiences, stating it has factored this into its engagement program, continues to invite feedback, and is increasing PPE options to address diverse individual needs.

HM Treasury

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28 Conclusion Acknowledged

Witnesses representing the health and social care sectors raised a number of concerns about the...

Conclusion

Witnesses representing the health and social care sectors raised a number of concerns about the PPE guidance issued by government. The Department told us that it held conversations with the Royal Colleges (and with the NHS and public health services … Read more Witnesses representing the health and social care sectors raised a number of concerns about the PPE guidance issued by government. The Department told us that it held conversations with the Royal Colleges (and with the NHS and public health services of the UK nations) about the PPE guidance issued.47 The British Medical Association told us that, in March, the government guidance differed from the guidance of the World Health Organization: in particular government guidance did not recommend the use of eye protection in GP practices. Government did revise its guidance to recommend eye protection in early April. The NAO report stated that PPE guidance had been updated 30 times by 31 July, and the Royal College of Nursing highlighted that the frequency of changes was difficult for a provider organisation to manage and that the changes were 42 Qq 7–8, 11, 17, 49, 62, 142–143; C&AG’s Report The supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic, paras 18, 3.19–3.21, Figure 16 43 Q 49; Royal College of Nursing, Personal protective equipment: Use and availability during the COVID-19 pandemic (national survey results), 18 April 2020; C&AG’s Report The supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic, para 3.26 44 Qq 53–57, 260–261 45 C&AG’s Report The supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic, paras 3.22–3.23, Figure 17 46 Qq 53, 276 47 Q 142 20 COVID-19: Government procurement and supply of Personal Protective Equipment often issued late on a Friday with providers required to implement them from Monday. Care England and UNISON were concerned that the language of the guidance was not relevant for social care, and UNISON told us that government guidance permitting the re-use of masks led to many social care workers being required to wear the same mask for an entire 12-hour shift, which they felt was unsafe. The British Medical Association said it had concerns around the guidance for PPE use dur Show less

Government Response Summary

The government acknowledges the concerns about PPE guidance, stating it has factored the evidence into its engagement programme and continues to invite feedback from customer groups, aiming to improve understanding of user needs and increase available options.

HM Treasury

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29 Conclusion Acknowledged

By the end of June, 44 Transport for London workers had lost their lives to...

Conclusion

By the end of June, 44 Transport for London workers had lost their lives to COVID19. We asked representatives of health and social care staff organisations about the provision of PPE to non-healthcare key workers, such as taxi drivers, cleaners, … Read more

Government Response Summary

The government states it is developing a framework to determine how to respond to PPE shortages across health, social care, and wider sectors, which could be adapted for future needs.

HM Treasury

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