The UK government has been criticized for wasting almost £10 billion on personal protective equipment (PPE) during the Covid pandemic, according to a recent report from the long-running Covid Inquiry.
The fifth report from the inquiry, focusing on procurement, found that of the approximately £15 billion of PPE purchased, almost £10 billion was wasted. This is roughly twice the amount that was spent successfully.
The report highlights the issues of overbuying and purchasing substandard equipment that put health and social care workers at risk. The inquiry also criticizes the fast-track system for awarding contracts, describing it as "embedded unfairness in the UK government's emergency procurement system".
The report states that the fast-track system was a "misguided attempt at prioritisation, caused by a fundamental lack of readiness rather than ill-intention". It adds that the High Priority Lane, which was set up to prioritize contracts, should not have been established and should not be repeated.
The Covid Inquiry has been running for over four years, and further reports are due to be published. The next report, focusing on the care sector, is expected to be released in the autumn.
