Chief Executive's Update – May 2024
The Inquiry will finish its current hearings on health and social care by the end of May. Since October 2023, we have heard many witnesses give oral evidence about the impact of COVID-19 in a health or social care setting. Some of these accounts have been deeply personal and emotional, particularly for those who lost loved ones during the pandemic.
The Inquiry is very grateful to everyone who has provided evidence over the last few months. While we can only hear from a small proportion of witnesses during our public hearings, all submissions and written statements to the Inquiry, including the experiences shared by people across Scotland through our listening project, Let’s Be Heard, will be analysed and will help inform our investigations and reports.
Looking ahead
Looking ahead, the Inquiry will move into its newly-refurbished premises at Waverley Gate in central Edinburgh in June. As well as providing permanent office space for the Inquiry, the new premises will give us extra capacity at our public hearings or evidence sessions, allowing for greater public participation and access. We will continue to livestream and record all our hearings through our YouTube channel so that even if you are not able to attend our hearings in person you will be able to watch them on demand by searching our YouTube archive.
On the 27 and 28 June, we will hold a short two-day session for those organisations wishing to give a closing oral statement on health and social care. Details have been published here for core participants with leave to appear.
In the autumn, the Inquiry will hear evidence about the impact of the pandemic on education and certification, followed by impact hearings about the financial and welfare support available to businesses and individuals during the pandemic. These hearings are expected to run until the end of 2024. We have taken a deliberate decision to hear about the impacts on people first, before hearing evidence from those organisations responsible for delivering services and then from those Scottish Ministers responsible for decision making.
So, as you can see, we have a busy year ahead of us, as the Inquiry deepens its investigations into the impact of the pandemic in Scotland. Many thanks for your continued support.