General practice was an ‘afterthought’ during pandemic preparation, inquiry hears

Professor Adrian Edwards. Credit: UK Covid-19 Inquiry

By Emma Wilkinson

A failure to properly include primary care in pandemic preparedness left GPs having to fend for themselves during the early stages of the pandemic, the Covid-19 inquiry has heard.

This was particularly apparent in decisions around PPE and infection control where much of the initial support was focused on hospitals, the Royal College of General Practitioners said in its evidence.