Eight companies who were involved in delivering Government communications are bidding for a £1,000,000 contract to be involved in the Covid inquiry's listening exercise.
We, those families who lost loved ones to Covid and battle for answers with Covid-19 Bereaved Families For Justice, don't think that's acceptable.
How can anyone who was involved in delivering services during the pandemic be part of delivering the inquiry?
Surely the only place for them during the inquiry is being challenged during the hearings and answering questions so can get the answers our loved ones deserve and hold them to account every step of the way?
Today we at Covid-19 Bereaved Families For Justice have written to those eight companies telling them in no uncertain terms that it's completely inappropriate for them to try to be involved in the listening exercise.
Do they not realise how hurtful it is to those who lost loved ones to Covid-19 for them to be involved in collecting our experiences?
But we've just not written to them, we're telling our story to the press as well to bring it to the publics attention.
In our letter we tell these companies their "involvement is clearly inappropriate and deeply hurtful to those of us who have suffered the very worst consequences of the pandemic".
We also highlight to that their involvement in the inquiry "undermines its independence, and is clearly morally wrong".
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In our press release, Lobby Akinnola, who lost his dad to Covid after failures in the 111 system said:
"The process of listening to the bereaved is the most critical part of the Covid Inquiry. It's only through getting that right that it will be able to understand what happened, and what lessons need to be learn to protect lives in the future.
The reports it may involve companies who worked on the Government's pandemic response, the very people the inquiry is supposed to be holding to account are alarming.
The conflict of interest is obvious and would be yet another case of those in power marking their own homework. It would be laughable if it wan't so serious.
If this goes ahead it will seriously damage the inquiry's credibility in the eyes of the bereaved, and we're therefore asking all of the companies with clear conflicts of interest to do the right thing and withdraw from the process.
Should they fail to do so they are sending a clear message that they don't care about the pain they are inflicting upon us, or the impartiality of the inquiry's findings."
We will keep making sure we challenge any conflicts of interest that come up during the inquiry.
Can you help us by making a monthly donation?
It's the only way we can make sure we can ensure companies such as thee bidding to be involved in the Listening Exercise are held to account for their role during the inquiry.
We know how important this is to us all and the rest of the country.
How else can we make sure the inquiry learns the lessons to save lives in the future? It's simply not good enough.
We will make sure they do - by fighting every step of the way and thanks to you for helping us. I honestly cannot thank you enough.
Matt Fowler
Co-Founder
Covid-19 Bereaved Families For Justice