Covid Inquiries Engagement Group (CIREG) minutes - August 2026

Attendees and apologies

Chair

• Jenny Gilruth MSP, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government

Members

• Adam Stachura, Age Scotland
• Francesca Malila, CEMVO Scotland
• Maia Pace, Inclusion Scotland
• Maggie Waterton, Scottish Covid Bereaved
• Juliet Swann, Transparency International (UK)

Apologies:

• Linda Somerville, Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC)
• Mark Kelvin, LGBT Health and Wellbeing
• Margaret Chiwanza, Minority Ethnic Carers of People Project (MECOPP)
• Peter Kelly, The Poverty Alliance

Observers

• Tabitha Stringer, Deputy Director for Covid Inquiries Response Division (Ms Stringer took over chairing duties for discussion of theme 4, following the Deputy First Minister’s departure)
• Sophie Humphries, Covid Inquiries Response Division
• Aileen MacArthur, Covid Inquiries Response Division

Secretariat

• Fiona Mackay, Covid Inquiries Response Division
• Oskari Ahola, Covid Inquiries Response Division

Policy officials in attendance 

Theme 1 – Pandemic preparedness and resilience

• Mike Healy, Deputy Director, Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Responses, DG Health and Social Care
• Colin Urquhart, Head of Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance Policy, DG Health and Social Care

Theme 2 – Health inequalities

• Lynne Nicol, Deputy Director Planning and Quality

Theme 3 – Workforce protection and support

• Kathryn Brechin, Deputy Chief Nursing Officer for Scotland
• Richard Foggo, Director of Population Health
• Jane Hamilton, Deputy Director, Culture Pay and Partnership
• Lesley Shepherd, HAI Professional Adviser

Theme 4 – Data and monitoring

• Ryan Anderson, Team Leader for Data Intelligence

Items and actions

Welcome and purpose

The chair welcomed CIREG members and senior policy officials and explained that the purpose of the meeting was to gather views on the Scottish Government's draft response to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry's Module 3 Report and to ensure members' feedback informed the final response. Senior policy officials leading on elements of the response joined the meeting to hear feedback directly from CIREG members.

The chair noted that this was the third and final CIREG meeting on the Module 3 response and outlined the anticipated publication timetable.

Summary of key points

The chair then opened the discussion with the group, which was split into four themes, with input from senior policy leads for each theme.

Discussion theme - Pandemic Preparedness and Resilience (theme 1)

Members discussed the importance of Scotland's role within UK-wide Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) structures, and it was suggested that the response would benefit from further detail regarding Scotland’s commitment to these structures.

It was noted that the ambition of the recently published IPC strategy was to be welcomed but that effective implementation of strategies was key, particularly considering issues such as current workforce pressures, corridor care and boarding, isolation and cohorting. There was a discussion regarding the difference between healthcare workers’ behaviours in extremis as opposed to expected behaviours, and around routes of escalation.

Members requested that the response acknowledge the importance of workforce compliance with IPC guidance

There was a discussion about compliance with standards and guidelines set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and those potentially bringing better accountability, and whether this could be reflected within the response.

Members emphasised the importance of avoiding blanket policies and stressed that diverse communities should be involved in decisions regarding risk identification and mitigation.

Action: Arrange follow up discussions between officials, the Scottish Covid Bereaved and Inclusion Scotland regarding recommendations 1, 5, 6 and 7;

Action: Scotland’s commitment to fully and effectively engaging with UK wide IPC structures should be stated in the response; and

Action: Consideration to be given to addition of a reference to the WHO guidelines within the response.

Discussion theme 2 – health inequalities (theme 2)

The importance of recognising the harm caused by visiting restrictions was discussed, including how this should be considered within the context of the Scottish Government’s four harms framework. The need to ensure guidance is universally understood and consistently applied across all settings was highlighted. The response should make clear that the stated approach to the consideration and application of visiting restrictions applies to both adult and children’s services.

The need for a strong approach to engagement with potentially impacted communities and individuals during ‘business as usual’ times, which could be relied upon during future public health emergencies, was highlighted. The response should provide further detail regarding planned engagement with families and carers to develop common principles.

Members stressed the importance of appropriate translation and interpretation services to support effective communication, particularly where visiting restrictions are in place.

Members discussed concerns regarding the application of DNACPR policies during the pandemic and that acknowledging these concerns within the response would help build public trust. Further detail regarding planned training programmes for clinicians and healthcare workers should be added to the response.   

Action: The response should acknowledge the potential harm caused by restrictions to in-person visiting for both patients, loved ones and carers;

Action: The applicability of visiting restriction guidance should be clarified in the response;

Action: The response should provide further detail regarding planned engagement with families and carers;

Action: The response should acknowledge public concerns regarding DNACPR decisions during the pandemic;

Action: Detail regarding planned DNACPR and ACP training should be added to the response; and

Action: Arrange follow up discussion between officials and Scottish Covid Bereaved regarding hospital visiting guidance and DNACPR.

Discussion theme – Health workforce protection and support (theme 3)

Members discussed the definition of "healthcare worker" and the potential future inclusion of social care workers and unpaid carers, recognising that further consultation and development would be required.

Recent developments to improve data systems were also discussed.

The need for staff wellbeing and support offers to meet the stated needs of staff was highlighted. The response should make clear that staff wellbeing and support offers apply to both health and social care staff.

The availability of PPE equipment for staff, including powered hoods, was discussed.

Action: the response should make clear that staff support also extends to the social care workforce; and

Action: further detail regarding PPE options for staff should be included in the response.

Action: arrange follow up discussions between officials, the Scottish Covid Bereaved and Inclusion Scotland regarding recommendation 3.

DFM leaves meeting.

Discussion theme - Data and Monitoring (theme 4)

The importance of proactive communications to address potential concerns regarding the collection, storage and use of personal data was raised.

Conclusion

The acting chair confirmed that an updated response would be shared with the group in due course. The chair reiterated that follow up discussions would be arranged promptly to support refinement of the response.

The acting chair thanked members and officials for their constructive engagement and valuable contributions to the discussion, and ongoing commitment to CIREG.