Scotland’s Covid Inquiry: Investigating the Pandemic Response and Its Operations

The public inquiry examining Scotland’s handling of the pandemic is scheduled to hold its next evidence sessions in the upcoming weeks. The Scottish Covid Inquiry commenced its hearings last year, having previously addressed the pandemic’s effects on individuals utilizing health and social care services. The inquiry will now shift its focus to the impact of the Covid crisis on education delivery across all levels in Scotland. For each subject area, the inquiry will first assess the pandemic’s impact, subsequently examine the decisions made in response to the public health emergency, and finally review the implementation of Covid policies. Scotland’s Covid public inquiry aims to ascertain the factual events of the nation’s pandemic response and to identify lessons for future application. Although commissioned by the Scottish ministers, the inquiry functions autonomously, led by chairman Lord Brailsford. A total of 12 aspects of Scotland’s pandemic management are slated for examination, categorized under three overarching themes. Among the issues being investigated are pandemic planning, the provision of personal protective equipment, school closures, and lockdown guidelines for businesses. Upon the inquiry’s conclusion, no individuals will be declared guilty or innocent; instead, recommendations will be issued, which the Scottish government is anticipated to implement. The UK Covid-19 Inquiry commenced in 2022 and has received testimony from several prominent figures involved in Scotland’s pandemic response, including former first minister Nicola Sturgeon. This inquiry, which began prior to Scotland’s own, possesses a considerably wider scope, encompassing the pandemic’s impact and decisions made by the UK government for the entirety of the UK. The Scottish inquiry focuses solely on policy areas falling under the jurisdiction of the Scottish government. For instance, the UK inquiry will examine decisions regarding the Covid vaccine supply strategy adopted for the entire UK. The Scottish inquiry does not encompass the specific vaccinations procured, but it will scrutinize the design and delivery of the vaccination strategy, given that Scottish ministers were responsible for implementing these UK-level decisions. The UK inquiry has already delved into certain political decisions surrounding the pandemic, while the Scottish inquiry is postponing this aspect until later in its agenda. Scotland’s approach prioritizes testimony from those most impacted by the pandemic, such as bereaved family members and healthcare professionals, before proceeding to key decision-makers. Consequently, its conclusions and recommendations are anticipated at the process’s culmination, which is still projected to be at least two years distant. In contrast, the UK inquiry integrates this as it progresses; in July, chairwoman Baroness Hallett released her initial findings, asserting that both the UK and Scottish governments “failed their citizens” by not adequately preparing for the crisis. The UK Covid Inquiry is presently convening in London, receiving testimony from individuals engaged in healthcare delivery. Evidence from those in the health and social care sector most profoundly affected by the pandemic was collected between October of last year and June of this year. A significant portion of this comprised the personal and frequently distressing accounts from relatives of some of the thousands who succumbed to Covid during the pandemic. This information was compiled through both written submissions and in-person appearances at the inquiry’s hearings in Edinburgh. In November of last year, Gillian Grant testified to the inquiry that a “do not resuscitate” plan was implemented for her grandmother at her care home, contrary to her family’s desires. The inquiry also heard Caroleanne Stewart’s account of paramedics arriving at her brother’s residence while he struggled with Covid symptoms, yet declining to exit the ambulance. Regarding the matter of protective equipment, the inquiry was informed of a scarcity of PPE during the pandemic’s initial phases, which resulted in some GPs utilizing repurposed bin bags as aprons. In a separate hearing, a group of relatives likened care home residents to “exhibits in a reptile house” due to pandemic restrictions that curtailed visiting. Beyond the public hearings, the Scottish inquiry has been undertaking a “Let’s Be Heard” initiative, aiming to maximize the number of individuals nationwide who can express their experiences regarding Covid’s impact on themselves or their relatives. Over 10,000 people have participated in this project, and an interim report delineates how lockdown measures affected the populace. The upcoming inquiry hearings will concentrate on the pandemic’s impact on education, encompassing all levels from early years to colleges and universities. A broad spectrum of issues will be addressed, with experts and frontline workers providing testimony. These hearings will examine if a digital divide influenced home schooling, probe the disruption caused to examinations and qualifications, and assess how social isolation affected the mental well-being of young individuals. Regarding early years, the lockdown’s effect on children’s social, emotional development, and behavior will be evaluated. The reopening of colleges and universities, alongside the financial and educational repercussions of lockdown restrictions on students, will also be scrutinized. The inquiry has opted not to permit young people to provide in-person testimony. Instead, it is conducting surveys to collect insights from teachers, childcare professionals, and children aged eight years and above. The education hearings in the upcoming weeks will be succeeded by sessions concerning the impact on business and welfare, with this segment of the inquiry scheduled to conclude on 20 December. A concluding series of impact hearings, slated between February and June of next year, will delve into pandemic impacts not yet addressed within the three primary themes.