National Audit Office. The government’s preparedness for the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons for government on risk management (19 November 2021)

Summary

The UK government and devolved administrations, along with the emergency services and other local responders, have clear responsibilities for identifying, assessing, preparing for and responding to emergencies, as well as supporting affected communities to recover. The government has risk management processes in place that aim to identify risks, to ensure that plans are drawn up to mitigate risks and prepare for shocks, and to prevent risks from being overlooked despite short-term pressures. Cabinet Office guidance states that preparedness is the preparation of plans that are flexible enough both to address known risks and to provide a starting point for handling unforeseen events.

This report sets out the facts on:

• the government’s approach to risk management and emergency planning
• the actions the government took to identify the risk of a pandemic like COVID-19
• the actions the government took to prepare for a pandemic like COVID-19
• recent developments.

The report sets out central government’s risk analysis, planning, and mitigation strategies prior to the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the aim of drawing out wider learning for the government’s overall risk management approach.