Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps were taken in response to the results of Exercise Cygnus, carried out in October 2016, to build capacity in the NHS in relation to the provision of additional (1) nurses, (2) doctors, (3) critical care beds, (4) morgue equipment, and (5) personal protection equipment.
The lessons identified from Exercise Cygnus continue to be considered by the Government and a range of stakeholders, including expert advisory groups and local emergency planners.
Working across Government and with stakeholders, the lessons from Exercise Cygnus have informed our preparedness, including strengthening health sector plans to surge and flex systems and resources beyond normal operations, and stockpiling personal protective equipment specifically for a pandemic influenza, informed by expert advice.