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Let’s Be Heard publishes preliminary findings

Let’s Be Heard, the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry’s public participation project, has published its first report.  

The publication shares preliminary findings from the more than 4,000 responses received since the start of the project’s national engagement phase launched on 23 May 2023. This includes responses from individuals living in each of Scotland’s local authority areas.  

The report focuses on participants’ responses to the three core questions asked by Let’s Be Heard:  

  1. What were your experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic?   
  2. What impact did these experiences have on you or people you know?   
  3. What lessons do you think should be learned from your experiences?  

Experiences shared with Let’s Be Heard describe difficulty and isolation in not being able to see loved ones, especially those in care or nearing the end of their lives.  

While experiences differed across the country, the report gives an account of how people experienced similar impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland. These include impacts on trust, mental health, life events and financial security. 

In terms of lessons to be learned, several suggestions were made by respondents to help Scotland respond more efficiently and effectively to any future pandemics. 

The report’s thematic findings represent the views of those who submitted their views to Let’s Be Heard. They do not represent, nor anticipate, the Inquiry’s conclusions, nor do they conclude Let’s Be Heard’s final findings.  

Let’s Be Heard is encouraging submissions before the end of the project’s national engagement phase on 20 December. 

In particular, Let’s Be Heard would like to hear more from people from some specific groups across Scotland, including: 

  • men; 
  • people from minority ethnic communities; 
  • LGBTQ+ people; 
  • people from minority religious communities; 
  • people aged under 20 and over 70; and 
  • people who don’t feel financially secure. 

And from people living in:  

  • North and South Lanarkshire; 
  • Renfrewshire; 
  • Glasgow City; 
  • West Lothian; and 
  • Highlands and Islands. 

The first report from Let’s Be Heard is available via the button below. 

Read the report