COVID Inquiries Response Engagement Group (CIREG) minutes: 27 July 2026

Attendees and apologies

• Chair: Tabitha Stringer, Deputy Director, Covid Inquiries Response Division
•  Adam Stachura, Age Acotland
•  Francesca Malia, CEMVO

• Maia Pace, Inclusion Scotland
• Rebecca Richard, Inclusion Scotland

• Maggie Waterton, Scottish Covid Bereaved
• Alan Wightman, Scottish Covid Bereaved

• Dean Kowalski, Covid Inquiries Response Division
• Aileen Macarthur, Covid Inquiries Response Division 
• Stuart Pyper, Covid Inquiries Response Division
• Michael Millar, Covid Inquiries Response Division

Items and actions

Welcome and outline

The chair welcomed all participants and thanked them for attending this second workshop which would look solely at the remaining Module 3 recommendations. The format and purpose of the meeting of the meeting was explained.

Discussion sessions

Two round table discussion sessions were held with attendees covering 7 recommendations from UK Covid-19 Inquiry Module 3 (the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the healthcare systems). Policy officials attended as set out in Annex A.

Session A – Pre-Pandemic planning and preparedness

• module 3 – Recommendation 1: Clear structures for infection prevention and control decision-making
• module 3 – Recommendation 7: Framework for allocation of intensive care resources
• module 3 – Recommendation 5: Scale up urgent and emergency care capacity
• module 3 – Recommendation 6: Prepare and test hospital capacity expansion

Session B – Workforce protection and support

• module 3 – Recommendation 10: Psychological and emotional support for healthcare workers
• module 3 – Recommendation 3: Better preparation for fit-testing
• module 3 – Recommendation 8: Recording and publishing healthcare workers deaths

Summary

• key cross-cutting themes emerging from the meeting included
• ensuring a holistic approach
• strengthening governance, accountability and scrutiny
• improving public trust and confidence, and transparency
• improving accessibility and inclusion; and
• ensuring lived experience informs policy development and future preparedness and response

A summary of key points raised in relation to each of the recommendations follows:

Session A – Pre-Pandemic planning and preparedness

Module 3 – Recommendation 1: Clear structures for infection prevention and control decision-making

• opportunity for Scottish Government to set out recent and planned work in Scotland
• the importance of universally understood and applied guidance across health and social care settings
• clear and well understood governance structures
• improving public trust and confidence
• improving the education of public and health professionals to ensure there is a common understanding
• CIREG members raised concerns about workforce compliance and about the need for capacity to be considered

Module 3 – Recommendation 7: Framework for allocation of intensive care resources

• the guidance should be developed transparently and inclusively, with involvement from disabled people, communities, third sector organisations, nurses, and other stakeholders to help build public confidence, trust and understanding
• application of guidance needs to be consistent across health boards
• need for greater pace, so Scotland is better prepared for the next health emergency
• reference to how we shared international WHO standards which we believe in and shared with policy colleagues

Inclusion Scotland highlighted the need to ensure the framework reflected international WHO standards and officials agreed to bring this to discussion with the 4 nations working group.

• in line with the WHO and UN recommendations there is no situation when a blanket policy would be justified, this would reflect not just Inclusion Scotlands contributions but age Scotland and the covid families for the bereaved

CIREG members emphasised that in line with WHO and UN recommendations, there is no situation where a blanket policy would be justified in relation to recommendation 7. Officials noted that the intention was for the Framework to guide clinical decision making in extremis rather than assert blanket approach to allocation of resources.

Module 3 – Recommendation 5: Scale up urgent and emergency care capacity 

• need for whole-system approach to ensure all services/bodies who contribute/are part of the response are captured, e.g. NHS 111, Scottish Ambulance Service
• need to articulate how this links to wider work to be better prepared for future emergencies

Module 3 – Recommendation 6: Prepare and test hospital capacity expansion 

• need to articulate how this links to wider NHS reform
• future planning should be equitable and person-centred, with better engagement of disabled people and consideration of how workforce redeployment and service pressures may disproportionately affect vulnerable groups and minority ethnic staff

Session B – Workforce protection and support

Module 3 – Recommendation 10: Psychological and emotional support for healthcare workers

• the importance of ongoing psychological and emotional support for health and social care staff, which should not just be available during emergencies
• articulate clearly what learning and improvements have happened since the pandemic and what further safeguards will be in place for the next emergency

Module 3 – Recommendation 3: Better preparation for fit-testing 

• better use of how fit-testing data is captured and recorded so it stays with the individual
• opportunity to better explain the rationale for the frequency for face fit testing
• opportunity for a more flexible and inclusive approach to respiratory protection, including consideration of powered respirator hoods, a wider range of PPE options, and the needs of staff and patients with specific health conditions or disabilities

Module 3 – Recommendation 8: Recording and publishing healthcare workers deaths 

• improve collection of data, including to collect equality data, to better understand the impact across the workforce, including ethnic minority workers and identify disproportionate risks or outcomes
• consider the definition of a healthcare worker and how broad this definition can be
• set out clearly whether existing systems such as RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) are being considered to provide data

Conclusion

The Chair thanked members for their engagement and contributions. The next step will be to prepare the response, which will be shared with members by mid-August.  Secretariat will be in touch with members regarding a date for the next meeting.   

Annex A - Policy officials

Session A – Pre-Pandemic planning and preparedness

Module 3 – Recommendation 1: Clear structures for infection prevention and control decision-making

• Colin Urqhart, CNOD
• Lesley Shepherd, CNOD  

Module 3 – Recommendation 7: Framework for allocation of intensive care resources

• Beth Macmaster, Planned Care and Improving Flow Delivery and Assurance Division

Module 3 – Recommendation 5: Scale up urgent and emergency care capacity

• Beth Macmaster, Planned Care and Improving Flow Delivery and Assurance Division

Module 3 – Recommendation 6: Prepare and test hospital capacity expansion

• Beth Macmaster, Planned Care and Improving Flow Delivery and Assurance Division

Session B – Workforce protection and support

Module 3 – Recommendation 10: Psychological and emotional support for healthcare workers

• Jane Hamilton, Health Workforce
• Christina Stokes, Health Workforce

Module 3 – Recommendation 3: Better preparation for fit-testing

• Jason Birch, CNOD
• Mike Healy, EPRR
• Lesley Shepherd, CNOD

Module 3 – Recommendation 8: Recording and publishing healthcare workers deaths

• Lucy Proud, HSCA

Observers

• Professor Nicola Steedman, Deputy Chief Medical Officer
• Laura Wilson, representing Population Health
• Victoria Ayre, representing Population Health
• Michael Chalmers, Director Propriety and Ethics