Lessons must be learnt to support the NHS now, says BMA

The British medical Association is calling for evidence to help inform its 'Lessons Learned' review into the handling of the pandemic, and its impact on the medical profession and the NHS.

Ahead of a government-led statutory inquiry next year, the BMA is contacting members and other key stakeholders – including Royal Colleges and leading think tanks - to understand the true impact of how the government’s handling of the crisis has affected the lives of doctors, the health service, patient care, and the public’s health.

Ahead of a UK Government-led statutory inquiry next year, the BMA is contacting members and other key stakeholders – including Royal Colleges and leading think tanks - to understand the true impact of how the government’s handling of the crisis has affected the lives of doctors, the health service, patient care, and the public’s health.

It will cover the protection of healthcare workers from the virus, the impact of the pandemic on the medical profession, delivery fo healthcare during the pandemic, the public health response and the impact of the pandemic on population health.

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, BMA council chair, said: "The government’s public inquiry into the handling of the Covid-19 is simply too far away, and lessons need to be learnt and acted on now, given that Covid infection remains high, with the NHS facing a record backlog of care and we’re not even in the depths of winter pressures yet. This must include addressing NHS capacity, workforce shortages, and effective public health measures. Our review will also consider fit-for-purpose preparedness for any future pandemic, so we see no repetition of the scale of suffering which inflicted our nation.

"Hearing from our members who have experienced first-hand the impact of the pandemic on themselves, the health service and on patients, is absolutely central to the BMA’s review. It’s these voices that must be at the forefront of not only helping us understand what happened during Covid-19, but so that the nation is properly prepared and does not sleep walk into a future tragedy of this scale again. They must be heard if we are to tackle the gargantuan pressures ahead and ensure the government can properly support healthcare workers – those who went above and beyond to keep our country safe."