Former National Audit Office Director and author of Coronadiary, David Finlay, has released a statement urging for better training for government Ministers in light of the critical findings of the COVID-19 Inquiry report. The report, which was released on Friday 19 July, 2024, revealed that the government had failed its citizens during the pandemic.
In his book, Coronadiary: 100 days that changed our lives and three skills government had been told to improve, Finlay highlights a concerning finding: Ministers had not received any collective training in decision-making skills that would have helped them handle the complex challenges of the COVID pandemic. His research also uncovered that the government had been warned prior to the pandemic to improve their skills in planning, utilizing data, and managing risks – all of which are essential in making appropriate decisions in response to a crisis like COVID.
According to Finlay, the findings of the COVID-19 Inquiry report only reinforce his belief that the lack of training for Ministers had a major impact on the government’s ability to effectively prepare and respond to the pandemic. “It’s clear from the report that Ministers were not properly prepared for a pandemic like COVID,” says Finlay. “They lacked the necessary data to track its progress in the early stages and, as the report recommends, there needs to be a new approach to risk assessment when dealing with emergencies. These all tie back to the three key skills of planning, using data, and managing risks, which my research has shown were previous weaknesses that Ministers had not addressed or been trained in.”
Finlay emphasizes the importance of formal training for Ministers in emergency planning, data analysis, and risk management. He compares the expectations for doctors and pilots to have suitable training and qualifications with the lack of training for Ministers who are responsible for making critical decisions during a pandemic.
In agreement with the ten recommendations put forth by the COVID Inquiry, Finlay believes that significant improvements must be made in each of the three areas he has identified. However, he stresses that these improvements will not be possible without proper training for Ministers to consistently utilize these skills in all government projects. He calls on the Cabinet Office to urgently implement a short but effective training program for Ministers.
In conclusion, Finlay asserts that the COVID-19 Inquiry report has rightfully highlighted the need for the state to not fail its citizens again by repeating the mistakes made during the pandemic. He believes that citizens have the right to expect that their Ministers have been trained to make complex decisions under intense pressure, especially during national emergencies.
David Finlay can be contacted at davidfinlay2012@hotmail.co.uk and his book, Coronadiary: 100 days that changed our lives and three skills government had been told to improve, can be purchased with ISBN 9781802270792. This news story was distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/.
