The importance of working together

¶15.26. Most emergencies will require collaboration across government, as well as with other organisations and the public. This is particularly true of a pandemic or other health crisis, due to the devolution of public health and the numerous impacts that health issues have on society and the economy. Until information to the contrary emerges, the UK government and devolved administrations should work on the basis that a pandemic will spare no-one and they should work together to alleviate suffering, death and other harms.

Lesson 7: Work across government

¶15.27. Health emergencies in particular require action by central and local governments across the UK, other public bodies, private organisations and the whole of society. This has resulted in structures and processes that are labyrinthine in their complexity. In order to enable the required swift action in these circumstances, there must be a clear process for decisions and accountability, reflecting the roles and responsibilities of the UK government and devolved administrations and their departments/directorates, as well as local responders (such as representatives from public services including the emergency services, local authorities and their healthcare systems). In any emergency, it will be necessary for different organisations and groups to work together effectively in order to protect the public.

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¶15.28. Politicians and senior officials are never more in the public eye than when responding to an emergency and they should act as role models. Acting with integrity and honesty will therefore never be more important. Similarly, acting in the collective national interest of the UK – at an organisational and an individual level – will be necessary if governments are to achieve their first duty of keeping the public safe.

Lesson 8: Communicate with the public

¶15.29. Everyone is affected by a pandemic in some way. All parts of society are affected by, and will need to be engaged in, the response. Clarity in communication is therefore vital, particularly in the challenging circumstances of changing advice and varying rules in different parts of the country.

¶15.30. It is already a core principle of public life that decisions should be taken in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for doing so. This is even more important in an emergency, where clearly communicating the limits of what is and isn't known can help to dispel damaging myths and speculation. It also extends to candour when things go wrong – it is only by acknowledging mistakes or areas for improvement that the right lessons can be learned and future plans improved.

¶15.31. Failing to do so also risks public confidence in those making decisions, as well as having a detrimental impact on compliance with necessary measures and an individual's ability to make informed choices alongside any formal restrictions. As demonstrated during the Covid-19 pandemic, the public can and must be trusted with both knowledge and uncertainty.