Background
The COVID-19 pandemic had significant health, social and economic impacts in the UK and globally. It also exposed weaknesses in preparedness for whole system emergencies. The financial costs of the COVID-19 pandemic were substantial, with government departments’ spending on pandemic measures estimated at around £380 billion between 2020 and 2025.
Previous NAO work on government’s preparedness for COVID-19 identified vulnerabilities in risk analysis, planning and oversight. These included gaps in planning for nonhealthy impacts and limited assurance over preparedness arrangements.
Since COVID-19, government has introduced a range of strategies, frameworks and reforms aimed at strengthening resilience and pandemic preparedness. Government has also introduced institutional changes, such as the creation of the UK Health Security Agency, and undertaken exercises designed to test preparedness arrangements.
There has been limited independent assessment of whether these reforms address previously identified weaknesses and translate into operational readiness in practice. The operating environment has also become more complex, and a future pandemic may differ significantly from COVID 19.
Pandemics remain among the highest impact risks faced by the UK. Effective preparedness requires arrangements that are adaptable, coordinated and able to operate across the whole system.
Scope
This study will examine whether the UK’s pandemic preparedness arrangements are likely to work effectively in the early stages of a future pandemic. It will consider whether:
- government has put in place clear preparedness arrangements
- these translate into effective operational capability in practice
- arrangements support effective decision-making and help to minimise negative impacts
NAO team
Director: Louise Bladen
Audit Manager: Rachel Fenn