Twenty-seventh Report - Covid-19: Supply of ventilators

Select Committee

Public Accounts Committee HC 685 25 November 2020

Report Status Government responded

Conclusions & Recommendations 22 items (10 recs)

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Government Response (AI assessment · 22 of 22 classified)

Accepted 12

Acknowledged 3

Deferred 1

Not Addressed 6

Government response

Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Twenty seventh report from Session 2019-21 · published 25 Mar 2021

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Recommendations & Conclusions

6 results

2 Recommendation Not Addressed

It is not clear how the Department of Health and Social Care is assessing whether...

Recommendation

It is not clear how the Department of Health and Social Care is assessing whether the NHS has enough critical care equipment for future demand. NHSE&I’s estimate of how many mechanical ventilators the NHS would need in a worst-case scenario … Read more

Government Response Summary

The government claims to agree with the recommendation and states it has implemented measures by purchasing and distributing medical equipment and establishing a national loan process, asserting the NHS has sufficient stock and processes. However, it does not explicitly explain its current methodology for assessing equipment needs or confirm it has written to the committee as requested.

HM Treasury

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4 Recommendation Not Addressed

The ventilator challenge was an exceptional and far from traditional approach that offers some lessons...

Recommendation

The ventilator challenge was an exceptional and far from traditional approach that offers some lessons for future programmes although they could not be applied wholesale under normal circumstances. The ventilator challenge was undoubtedly a significant achievement, involving a huge effort … Read more The ventilator challenge was an exceptional and far from traditional approach that offers some lessons for future programmes although they could not be applied wholesale under normal circumstances. The ventilator challenge was undoubtedly a significant achievement, involving a huge effort from industry across the UK. In total it produced around 15,000 mechanical ventilators in just four months – around half the number now available to the NHS, and a volume that we understand would normally take years to produce. However, when examining what government can learn from the challenge, it is crucial to keep in mind that the exceptional circumstances in which it took place were, in part, responsible for its success. For example; the clear motivating goal to potentially save thousands of lives encouraged businesses to collaborate and work at pace; and an unusually low emphasis on cost meant that the Cabinet Office could fund the development of multiple devices until it became clear whether the design was viable or was needed to meet demand. Nonetheless, there are clearly some elements of the programme which could be replicable across future government programmes. For example, the NAO pointed to the steps the Cabinet Office took to control costs and its commitment to Covid-19: Supply of ventilators 7 transparency and accountability. Government’s requirement for private companies to collaborate is one example of how Government can use its spending power to improve learning and deliver cost savings and efficiencies. These lessons must be identified and shared more widely. Recommendation: As part of its treasury minute response, the Cabinet Office should work with participants to understand and ensure the right lessons from the ventilator challenge are learnt. It should publicise: • which lessons were unique to the circumstances; • which can be applied to future programmes. It should ensure these lessons are disseminated to the appropriate government departments or functions; Show less

Government Response Summary

The government's response focuses on revising contract management structures and improving operating procedures generally, rather than specifically addressing how it will learn, publicise, and disseminate lessons from the ventilator challenge.

HM Treasury

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1 Conclusion Not Addressed

On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence...

Conclusion

On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Department of Health and Social Care (the Department), the Cabinet Office and NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I) on the government’s efforts to … Read more

Government Response Summary

The government response provides an introduction to ventilators and the context of the pandemic, rather than engaging with the committee's concluding statement about taking evidence.

HM Treasury

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11 Conclusion Not Addressed

From 3 March, in response to the anticipated shortage of ventilators, the Department began to...

Conclusion

From 3 March, in response to the anticipated shortage of ventilators, the Department began to purchase as many ventilators as it could using existing NHS supply chain framework agreements, which are designed to ensure competitive pricing. It explained that as … Read more

Government Response Summary

The government reiterated that most devices were purchased through standard framework agreements with due diligence, without addressing the committee's observations on the challenges of increasing manufacturing speed or the initial 'huge deficit' in supply.

HM Treasury

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12 Conclusion Not Addressed

From 13 March the Department, therefore, stepped up its efforts to purchase ventilators directly from...

Conclusion

From 13 March the Department, therefore, stepped up its efforts to purchase ventilators directly from overseas with significant help from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department of International Trade in China.18 The Department told us that while it … Read more

Government Response Summary

The government stated that most devices were purchased through standard framework agreements with due diligence, which did not address the committee's observation regarding intense competition and price volatility in overseas procurement.

HM Treasury

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18 Conclusion Not Addressed

For example, the Department explained that both the Department for International Trade and the Foreign...

Conclusion

For example, the Department explained that both the Department for International Trade and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office helped it to purchase ventilators directly from China, which it viewed as the largest untapped market for ventilators. Both departments played a … Read more

Government Response Summary

The government stated that most devices were purchased through NHS standard framework agreements with full due diligence checks, without addressing the committee's observations on successful inter-departmental collaboration or effective cost assurance.

HM Treasury

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