Covid inquiry: former CNOs to give evidence this week
The four national chief nursing officers (CNOs) who were in post during the pandemic are set to give evidence to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry this week.
Module 3 of the inquiry opened last week, focusing on the impact of the pandemic on health services, its workforce and the people treated by it.
So far, opening statements from core participants including the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), the Frontline Migrant Health Workers Group, NHS England, bereaved family groups and others have been heard by the inquiry, and evidence sessions began towards the end of last week.
Jean White
This week, the focus of the inquiry turns to nursing, although the timetable has potential to change.
Dame Ruth May, former CNO for England, former CNO for Wales Professor Jean White and former Scotland CNO Professor Fiona McQueen are expected to appear before the inquiry tomorrow.
Then, on Wednesday, former chief nursing officer for Northern Ireland Professor Charlotte McArdle is set to appear as a witness, followed by UK Health Security Agency (formerly Public Health England) chief medical adviser Professor Susan Hopkins.
The four CNOs were all in post at the time of the pandemic.
Nursing Times will be attending the inquiry on Tuesday and Wednesday, with a live feed and articles covering the evidence the CNOs are giving.
Fiona McQueen
It is not known exactly what they will speak on or be asked about by lawyers at the inquiry, or by chair Baroness Heather Hallett.
However, counsel to the inquiry Jacqueline Carey KC, in her opening remarks on 9 September, said the CNOs – as well as chief medical officers and others – would be able to “assist” in the topics of how infection protection and control measures impacted workers and patients, and the impact of changes to staffing ratios in intensive care units across the country.
Last week, former Unison head of health Sara Gorton spoke about the immediate response to the Covid-19 outbreak and how the workforce was deployed.
Charlotte McArdle
Ms Gorton said the healthcare workforce was “neglected” in the period before the pandemic hit, and criticised policymakers for failing to heed warnings about worker burn out at that time.
As well as this, Fenella Morris KC, representing the RCN, said in her opening statements to the inquiry that nurses were placed under “unacceptable risk” during the pandemic.
Ms Morris also suggested that the issue of personal protective equipment would be something the inquiry should look at in future evidence sessions.
