Standing Committee on Pandemic Preparedness minutes: December 2023

Attendees and apologies

• Professor Andrew Morris
• Professor Linda Bauld
• Professor Julie Fitzpatrick
• Dr Audrey MacDougall
• Dr Jim McMenamin
• Professor Massimo Palmarini
• Professor Josephine Pravinkumar
• Professor Stephen Reicher
• Professor Emma Thomson
• Professor Mathew Williams
• Professor Mark Woolhouse

Observers

• Daniel Kleinberg
• Paul Johnston

Secretariat

• Redacted S.38 (1)(b)
• Redacted S.38 (1)(b)
   

Items and actions

1.    Introduction

The chair welcomed committee members to the meeting, acknowledging the unexpectedly significant impact of the covid enquiry for a number of members of the Committee and the secretariat and the consequent impact on timelines.  

2.    Update on the Final Report

The Committee was provided with an update on the workplan for the production of the Final Report. The UK Covid Inquiry has had an impact on the timing of the report. It was envisaged that a further six months would be sufficient, with the report to be completed by August 2024. This would allow time for reflection or moving on from original report and it was noted that some of the enquiry material will help in lessons identified. The secretariat were thanked for their work in providing support on factual matters to the committee members responding to the Public Inquiry.

3.    Centre of Pandemic Preparedness

The Committee were provided with an update on the proposals for a Centre for Pandemic Preparedness (CPP).

The proposals in the Paper provided for discussion had been shared at 3 stakeholder events with around 250 attendees. There was consensus that we must harness the expertise built up over the last 3 to 4 years, with a CPP built in a spirit of collaboration. The aim is not to create a building as a centre but to focus on the development of a network for collaboration. 

The proposals looked at two options. The first being that Public Health Scotland (PHS) would take a leadership role and oversee the CPP function, though in collaboration with SG and other partners. The second was the formation of an oversight group for the CPP to bring pandemic preparedness partners together. 

The Chair thanked PHS for all their efforts in preparing the paper and the extensive consultation with stakeholders which underpinned it.

The Committee then discussed the proposals and feedback from stakeholders as well as the merits of each of the options. Some members believed the proposals could go further to ensure we used the opportunity to be more bold and innovative. Scotland though a small country is very well connected and we should take advantage of that wealth of expertise. It was acknowledged in discussion that there was a need to be realistic and budget constraints would impact on the availability of resources for a CPP, though even without new money coming into the system there is still a lot of investment in this space.

It was noted that there were real successes in the UK and Scotland and a lot of it was research based. There is a long history of innovation in Scotland and a CPP would have the opportunity to build on that innovation; harnessing and using research to protect the people of Scotland. The disciplinary depth of a network would be important, including social sciences. Building a network is important and the CPP could be a real source of advice nationally and internationally, but investment would be needed to get the maximum benefit from research. 

It was suggested that an adequately funded CPP would provide a robust and long lasting infrastructure which will integrate the statutory roles of PHS with engagement with academia and wider healthcare authorities within the UK and beyond, such as UK Health Security Agency and the World Health Organisation. There should be flexibility to augment its capacity with co-opted members from academia and industry as required providing a foundation for sustained preparedness. Such a formal body supported by PHS will work better in the longer term than an expert advisory group.

The Chair thanked the Members for their contributions to the discussion and asked if anyone in the Committee would be prepared to review the paper after further development.

4.    Pandemic Sciences Network

The Committee discussed developing links with the Pandemic Sciences Network, which brings together universities to achieve 100 days mission. Scotland would soon hold the position of Chair for the Network and will likely host a meeting of the Network in either Glasgow or Edinburgh in 2025. This would be good opportunity to consider the Scottish aspects of the Network and build on those connections with PHS and SG. 

5.    Any other business

The Chair concluded the meeting, thanking everyone for their contributions.