Opening statements delivered in Module 3 of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry on healthcare
Public hearings in Module 3 of the UK Covid-19 Public Inquiry started on Monday 9 September 2024, with opening statements from Counsel to the Inquiry, Jacqueline Carey KC, and core participants. The hearings will last for ten weeks.
Module 3 will consider the governmental and societal response to Covid-19 as well as dissecting the impact that the pandemic had on healthcare systems, patients and healthcare workers. This will include healthcare governance, infection prevention and control, primary care, NHS backlogs, the effects on healthcare provision by vaccination programmes as well as long covid diagnosis and support.
The module will see Professor Sir Chris Whitty, Vaughan Gething, Matt Hancock, Sir Sajid Javid and others, alongside a range of impact and expert witnesses, give oral evidence.
A number of Doughty Street barristers are instructed in Module 3:
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Aswini Weeraratne KC and Rachel Woodward are instructed by Craig Court of Harding Evans Solicitors for Covid Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru.
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Oliver Lewis is instructed by Elkan Abrahamson, Nicola Brook and Clare Fletcher of Broudie Jackson Canter Solicitors for Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK.
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Shanthi Sivakumaran and Harriet Johnson are instructed by Jane Ryan of Bhatt Murphy Solicitors for Long Covid Groups.
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Adam Wagner, Daniella Waddoup and Rosa Polaschek are instructed by Kim Harrison and Shane Smith of Slater and Gordon Lawyers for two core participants: (1) 13 Pregnancy, Parenting and Baby Organisations and (2) Clinically Vulnerable Families.
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Piers Marquis, Annabel Timan and Jessie Smith are instructed by Helen Mowatt of the Public Interest Law Centre for Frontline Migrant Health Workers Group.
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Sam Jacobs and Ruby Peacock are instructed by Gerard Stilliard and Harry Thompson of Thompsons Solicitors for the Trades Union Congress.
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Jamie Burton KC is instructed by Anne-Marie Irwin and Alex Rook of Rook Irwin Sweeney LLP for the Disability Charities Consortium.