COVID-19 — Coronavirus

[mcfc1632]

It is clear that overriding responsibility lies with the Department of Health and Care and specifically the Secretary of State (unless I have misunderstood the documents you posted).

You are being - and I do not mean this in a bad way - pedantic in the wording of accountabilities Vs responsibility for action/provision

Contracts that I have put in place for government departments may have required an appropriate SoS to sign them as they are the accountable officer - but the work of producing them and managing them will have been with the Home Office, HMRC, DWP etc.

So in this case you will see the PHE's framework include statements like:

"Fulfil the Secretary of State’s duty to protect the public’s health from infectious diseases and other public health hazards, working with the NHS...…"

That is an accountability of the state - embodied in the SoS - which is discharged through DHSC and onwards to NHS or in this case to PHE. The responsibility firmly sits with PHE.

The SoS is also 'accountable' for the commissioning of every care home - but the responsibility for doing it is done by a chain of responsibilities - DHSC - NHS - CCGs/LAs

The The SoS is also 'accountable' for the procurement of every mask and other item of PPE but the responsibility for doing it is done by a chain of responsibilities - DHSC - NHS - NHS Procurement and NHS Supply Chain

Technically, the SoS is responsible for every poor quality sandwich served and bedpan not removed - but we would not expect that SoS to be spending all day and every day on those matters.

Responsibilities for planning and delivery of services are discharged through Departments or other bodies.

As mentioned by someone earlier 'technically' the PM and an SoS can be blamed for every public service issue - but there needs to be a level of pragmatism and realism applied to how these things are actually managed/discharged

 

[kaz7]

Pressure growing on the gov according to sky news to bring us out of lockdown? I wonder if boris will buckle on thur and agree to it?

They have been saying that for weeks,same questions every day for a month as well,rather than accept and discuss the issues it is non stop when,how,pressure on them to lift lockdown,we are in lock down for a reason,we are going to come out of it very gradually when it is safe,no matter how many times they ask the same questions,the two questions from the public in our briefings are much more intelligent and practical and what we want to know not just repeating the same dross every day

 

[True_Blue69]

Sweden is an interesting one really. When you look apply some of the other data that may have been missed off the modelling.

sweden has a very sparse population, approximately 25 per square Km, compared to 270 odd for uk and 400+ for England. That is a natural social distancing the UK can’t do.

they have a very introverted nature. Touching is generally not a done thing in public so again a natural social distancing.

add onto that the fact that a lot are self isolating anyways.

one thing I heard that I have not had verified tho is the sweeds tend to leave the nest young. So you don’t have older generation being infected by the younger who are still out and about.

Those stats are very misleading. Stockholm has more people per square KM than London which was the epicenter of the UK. People like to spin these numbers to try and prove that we were right to lockdown and Sweden were wrong. It's looking more and more like it's the other way round each day.

 

[Phil1]

Those stats are very misleading. Stockholm has more people per square KM than London which was the epicenter of the UK. People like to spin these numbers to try and prove that we were right to lockdown and Sweden were wrong. It's looking more and more like it's the other way round each day.

If the U.K. hadn’t locked down it would be in a fucking world of pain right now. You’d have to be stupid to believe otherwise.

 

[Eds]

Pressure growing on the gov according to sky news to bring us out of lockdown? I wonder if boris will buckle on thur and agree to it?

Odd that for a week or so the media, including Sky were banging on about how we should follow the lead of other countries and lockdown. Now they are all banging on about coming out of lockdown which, if we do it too quickly, could be a nightmare. There is already a large proportion of the UK who think we are out of lockdown already judging by the state of the roads today so I dread to think what will happen if we come too early.

 

[nellyonthewing]

Those stats are very misleading. Stockholm has more people per square KM than London which was the epicenter of the UK. People like to spin these numbers to try and prove that we were right to lockdown and Sweden were wrong. It's looking more and more like it's the other way round each day.

Swedish people tend to be healthier than your average Brit-maybe?

 

[nellyonthewing]

Odd that for a week or so the media, including Sky were banging on about how we should follow the lead of other countries and lockdown. Now they are all banging on about coming out of lockdown which, if we do it too quickly, could be a nightmare. There is already a large proportion of the UK who think we are out of lockdown already judging by the state of the roads today so I dread to think what will happen if we come too early.

Sky just want to end lockdown so they can crown Liarpool as Chumps.

 

[True_Blue69]

If the U.K. hadn’t locked down it would be in a fucking world of pain right now. You’d have to be stupid to believe otherwise.

Just seems odd that places that haven't and are more densely populated aren't don't you think? Whether it was right or wrong remains to be seen for me. Sweden's approach was to keep everything open but protect the most vulnerable and it's working so far. Success can't be judged where countries are now but where they are in 2 or 3 years. The last financial crisis caused an estimated 500,000 cancer deaths, this is looking like it will be much worse and I can see the fallout causing many more deaths than the virus itself. Not to mention those who will die lonely without seeing any family as they are not allowed to. If I was in my 80's I wouldn't be self isolating and not seeing my family what's the point, time is precious.

 

[kaz7]

If the U.K. hadn’t locked down it would be in a fucking world of pain right now. You’d have to be stupid to believe otherwise.

Not to it is only like flu brigade

 

[True_Blue69]

Not to it is only like flu brigade

Different virus similar mortality rate.