Standing Committee of Pandemic Preparedness minutes: February 2023

Attendees and apologies

• Professor Andrew Morris, Chair
• Professor Linda Bauld
• Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak
• Professor Tom Evans
• Dr Audrey MacDougall
• Professor Stephen Reicher
• Professor Sir Aziz Sheikh
• Professor Mathew Williams
• Professor Mark Woolhouse

Observers:

• Daniel Kleinberg
• Redacted S.38 (1)(b)
• Redacted S.38 (1)(b)
• Redacted S.38 (1)(b)

Secretariat:

• Redacted S.38 (1)(b)

• Redacted S.38 (1)(b)

Items and actions

Introduction 

The Chair welcomed Committee members to the meeting. The aim of the meeting was to be clear about the objectives for the final report – it needed to meet the terms of the Commission and focus on useful recommendations that will make a difference.

Final report

Daniel Kleinberg and the secretariat provided an update on the forward workplan for preparation of the Committee’s final report. 

In discussion, it was noted that it would be important to be explicit about how recommendations have value in non-pandemic times e.g. on data; that the wording of recommendations made clear their behavioural aspects; and that engagement on the report after it was published would be important is delivering its benefits.

The Chair noted that time is tight, and the timetable would need to be kept under review as work progressed.

Recommendation updates

An update was provided on the work on the four recommendations from the interim report, referring back to the previous update and discussion on the workplan.

Anna Dominiczak spoke about the work of the Scottish Data for Pandemic Preparedness Oversight Group. The work would involve Research Data Scotland and e-health colleagues in the Scottish Government to address flow of data, permissions and information governance. The aim was to complete this phase by the end of August.

Nick Phin spoke about work on the Centre for Pandemic Preparedness. A project manager had been appointed and a group formed to understand potential models. This would lead to option appraisal, including a number of workshops to obtain wider input. The Chair invited members with views on what functions and capabilities were needed to contact Nick Phin, as there would be a need to develop structure and governance to follow function.

The Committee received an update on the work being done on the development of the ScotScience network. A wider question was how do we form groups to give advice in emergency situations, which raised questions on the role for a Centre for Pandemic Preparedness and the future role of the SCoPP.

Dame Anna Dominiczak spoke about work on innovation. The Scottish Government approach uses an end-to-end innovation pathway. It was used outside pandemics in order to be ready, which needed a triple helix partnership, drawing on the Campbell report. It is not only about adoption of innovation into NHS, but much earlier – linking test beds with economy partners, twinning with tech scalers and access to school of entrepreneurship. The aim is to be ready to work with industry and internationally on vaccines, treatment and diagnostics. We need to build sovereign capability but that needs an established supply chain and customers.

Update on Covid inquiries

The secretariat provided a brief update on the progress of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry and the forward timetable, noting that some members of the Committee had also served as members of the Covid-19 Advisory Group. 

Any other business

The Chair thanked Committee members for their participation, noting that the next meeting of the Committee is planned for 4 May.