The Covid inquiry has released findings examining procurement failures that left NHS workers without adequate personal protective equipment when the pandemic began. The investigation identified substantial financial waste and systemic shortcomings in how the government approached securing vital supplies.
According to the inquiry’s chair Baroness Heather Hallett, nearly £10 billion in taxpayers’ money was squandered on PPE purchases, representing approximately two-thirds of the £14.9bn total spent by the UK and devolved governments on such equipment. Additional tens of millions were spent on items that could not be utilized. While the inquiry acknowledged that purchasing excess PPE was preferable to shortages, officials concluded that more careful calibration of supply to demand would have yielded fairer, faster, and significantly less costly outcomes.
The report highlighted critical deficiencies in the nation’s preparedness. England’s pre-pandemic stockpile of masks, gowns, and gloves was found to be in a deteriorated state, with only one-third of mask supplies deemed usable. Scotland possessed no stockpiles of the specialized FFP3 masks required by healthcare professionals. As a result, some staff members resorted to using makeshift protection such as bin bags or repeatedly washing and reusing equipment.
The inquiry examined the VIP lane system, introduced in April 2020, which expedited PPE supply offers that carried endorsements from government ministers, MPs, House of Lords members, or other senior officials. Hallett characterized this approach as a “misguided attempt at prioritisation” that “embedded unfairness in emergency procurement.” Although finding no evidence of corruption or cronyism in contract awards, she determined the system was inherently biased toward individuals with government connections and should never be repeated in future emergencies.
The report noted that findings regarding PPE Medpro, a company with links to Conservative peer Baroness Michelle Mone, were excluded due to ongoing criminal investigation. The company received government contracts valued at over £200m and was subsequently ordered to repay £148m after a High Court judgment found contractual breaches regarding surgical gown supplies. The National Crime Agency investigation continues with no charges filed to date.
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