An Statement From The Team

Statement from Keyworker Petition UK regarding the evidence given by Dr Lisa Ritchie OBE at today’s U.K. Covid Inquiry

Today we watched with horror at the disappointing testimony given by Dr Ritchie at the U.K. Covid Inquiry. We feel that her evidence doesn’t reflect the reality and proven science around Covid-19 and transmission, not only now, but in the early days of the pandemic.

We suggest the witness appeared to divert and deflect blame from their group, the IPC Cell that oversaw the creation of guidance throughout the first years of the pandemic.

The evidence given suggests the IPC Cell membership was clearly inadequate, unable to translate the emerging science and didn’t take the law into account properly. It also makes it very clear they did not listen to, investigate or properly address concerns of organisations like British Medical Association (BMA), Covid Aerosol Transmission Alliance (CATA) and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) etc.

We feel there may be clear questions to answer about competence and qualification of membership of this group as today’s testimony leads us to believe that the IPC Cell may not have been voting on important decisions, nor publishing the meeting minutes, nor listening to the scientists questioning the guidance. In our opinion, we feel the safety of staff may not have been adequately prioritised by their endorsing the use of items not even classified as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as fluid resistant masks (FSM). This was a group shrouded in secrecy and has still not published these minutes. Why?

In our opinion, it could be said to be apparent from today’s hearing that Dr Ritchie may not have fully understand the emerging science at the time. She, and other members of the cell, seem to have failed to understand the severity of need. Therefore, we feel the decisions on the lack of PPE and RPE (Respiratory Protective Equipment) potentially led to the deaths and disability of many of our colleagues.

We are alarmed that the witness didn’t take appear to take any accountability, appeared flustered in the witness box, and didn’t offer an apology or any real explanation for the poor decision making. This hearing covered the period for which she was awarded her OBE earlier this year, and therefore with her own admissions today, we ask if it would be appropriate to return this OBE, knowing that as Chair of the IPC Cell, this decision making has impacted the lives of so many healthcare professionals and other keyworkers.

In our opinion, there were instances where Dr Ritchie wouldn’t confirm her own view on the science, which leads us to question her actual understanding of it.

Therefore we query whether the evidence given today may qualify as an alleged breach of the NMC code*.

We endorse Baroness Hallet’s point that existing theories aren’t always the right ones and would should engage with emerging science. It is clear from the evidence given by Dr Jones of CATA and others that emerging science and different view points were ignored.

We would like to reiterate that the whole point of this Inquiry is to establish the facts, answer questions and hold those who died, were disabled or bereaved, at the centre of these hearings at all times. Life’s have been changed forever, and we want and need to see accountability for that.

Keyworker Petition UK

16 September 2024.

*NMC Code of Conduct:

o    Point 6. Always practise in line with the best available evidence.

o    Point 8 Work co-operatively

o    Point 10 to recognise and work within the limits of your competence