The published today (18 July) by the concludes that the system of building preparedness for the pandemic suffered from several significant flaws, meaning the virus caused more deaths than it should have.
The report recommends a major overhaul of how the UK government and devolved administrations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales prepare for whole-system civil emergencies.
快猫视频 General Secretary and Chief Executive Professor Nicola Ranger said: “Today’s report will make emotional reading for nursing staff across the UK. The thoughts of our profession are with the bereaved, and those continuing to live with the long-term effects of COVID-19.
“The response to the pandemic was deeply flawed, stemming from a failure at the very top of governments to plan, prepare and resource health and care services effectively for a respiratory disease outbreak. A sustained period of austerity widened health inequalities and weakened health service infrastructure, whilst a total failure to invest in the nursing workforce left every care setting chronically understaffed.
“Throughout the pandemic, nursing professionals raised concerns about a lack of appropriate clinical and protective equipment, but our voices were not heard. As the largest single workforce in the NHS, the nursing profession was isolated, hindering our participation in the development of clinical guidance and preparedness planning.”
Nursing has always been at the forefront of infection prevention expertise but the “groupthink” referenced in the inquiry report, exemplified in England by the lack of parity between the Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Medical Officer, held back the pandemic response.
“Four years on from the outbreak of the pandemic, this report makes clear that health and care services remain unprepared for future expected health emergencies. The nursing profession is well placed to support the development of new approaches to risk assessments and pandemic planning, but today's ministers in every country of the UK must ensure we are equal partners,” Nicola added.
"Nursing staff were left exposed by the government’s failure to prepare for the pandemic, which first failed to provide adequate prote