Recommendation 17: Implementation of recommendations
From Thirlwall Inquiry Final Report, published 15 September 2026.
Recommendation
A new responsibility for auditing the implementation of the recommendations of statutory
inquiries into NHS bodies should be given to the National Audit Office. Funding for
appropriate additional staffing should be made available so that it may begin its work
by September 2027.
In brief (written by this site)
The Inquiry recommended that the National Audit Office audit recommendations from statutory health inquiries. In September 2026, Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, stated that her department is setting up a recommendation hub to track progress internally across the National Health Service (NHS) (Yvette Cooper response, Sep 2026). She stated that the department will work with the Cabinet Office on improvements in this area to respond to the inquiry (Yvette Cooper response, Sep 2026). The record holds nothing dated later than the response of September 2026 (Yvette Cooper response, Sep 2026).
Sources
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 5 Oct 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
Government response
Finally, Lady Justice Thirlwall highlights problems with past inquiry recommendations not being implemented. So, my department is setting up a recommendation hub to properly track our implementation progress internally, not just for this inquiry, but for others right across the NHS. But we will work with the Cabinet Office now on improvements in this area to respond to this inquiry.
Delivery
No statement on delivery from National Audit Office or NI Audit Office has been found in the sources searched (last checked 2 October 2026). This is separate from the response above.
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- Department of Health and Social Care
Response