An inquiry in Scotland has heard that while plans existed to address a major pandemic, the unexpected duration of the Covid-19 outbreak lasting over three years was not anticipated. Mr Campbell from resilience partnerships testified that although comprehensive pandemic and high consequence infectious disease plans were in place, the longevity of the pandemic presented unforeseen challenges. The inquiry also revealed that many emergency preparations were still in development when the pandemic began in 2020.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The Scottish Government's inquiry into pandemic planning heard that while emergency and resiliency strategies existed for a major health crisis like Covid-19, the prolonged duration of over three years was not anticipated. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Williams, who led regional resilience partnerships in Scotland, testified that plans had been progressing but failed to predict the length of the outbreak. Resilience partnerships were urged as early as October 2017 to prepare for a potential pandemic, with documents stating pandemic influenza was the highest risk in UK assessments. These organizations, including Police Scotland and NHS boards, were instructed to plan for increased service demand, staff absences, excess deaths, and school closures due to a national health crisis.
Written for “Covid Pandemic Planning” on 2026-10-06,
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Plans existed to address a major pandemic in Scotland but the duration of the Covid-19 outbreak was not anticipated, an inquiry has heard.
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inquiry → exist → outbreak
He said emergency and resiliency planning in Scotland “broadly anticipated” a potential pandemic of the size and scale of coronavirus, but the duration of it – just over three years – was a “variation”.
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duration → say → it
He told the inquiry: “That’s the bit that we hadn’t added in there.”
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we → tell → that
Mr Campbell gave evidence alongside two other representatives from resilience partnerships.
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Campbell → give → partnerships
The inquiry heard resilience partnerships were urged to prepare for a national pandemic years before Covid emerged.
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Covid → hear → pandemic
A document from October 2017 stated pandemic influenza was the “highest rated risk” in a UK national risk assessment.
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influenza → state → assessment
Through resilience partnerships, organisations – such as Police Scotland, local authorities and NHS boards – were told to prepare for increased demand for services, high levels of staff absence across all sectors, the potential need to manage a number of excess deaths, and school closures.
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organisations → tell → deaths
Mr Campbell said: “We certainly had pandemic plans, and they had been extensively discussed between boards and local resilience partnerships.
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they → say → boards
“We also had high consequence infectious disease plans.
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We → have → plans
The reality is that Covid sat between the two of those – that’s where the challenge came.
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challenge → sit → those
“The plans existed, but I certainly never anticipated the duration.
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I → exist → duration
So prior to it, I didn’t raise concerns to say our plans are not adequate to last just over three years.
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plans → raise → years
“In hindsight looking back, there were mistakes, but that’s with the benefit of hindsight.
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that → look → hindsight
Coming up to it, I didn’t see that.”
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I → come → that
Faryma Bahrami, junior counsel to the inquiry, said many of the emergency preparations were “still in the pipeline” in 2020 when Covid emerged and had “not been completed”.
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Covid → say → 2020
She asked the panel to share their thoughts on why preparedness work was not completed and if that was brought to the attention of the Scottish Government.
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that → ask → Government
Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Mark Williams, who also appeared on the panel in relation to his time as the former chairman of the West of Scotland Regional Resilience Partnership and as a former member of the Lothian and Borders and City of Edinburgh Local Resilience Partnerships, said plans had been progressing.
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plans → appear → Partnerships
“There was no shortage of desire or enthusiasm to continue that work, but nevertheless it was a priority, and it was a priority being progressed,” he said.
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he → be → work
He said plans may not have reached the desired final stage in all areas that organisations would have liked, but he emphasised that there was a framework.
uncertain
he → say → that
He also stated that from a police perspective, pandemic preparedness is “not the only thing we are dealing with”.
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we → state → perspective
Amid business-as-usual pressures, Mr Williams said Police Scotland are “also attempting to plan for dozens of risks we face”.
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we → say → risks
Throughout the period leading up to the pandemic, he said Police Scotland and other agencies were also preparing for the consequences and variables associated with Brexit.
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Scotland → lead → Brexit
“That didn’t stand in the way, but it was a reality of balancing a lot of priorities at the same time and protecting the public in so many other ways,” he told the inquiry.
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he → stand → inquiry
The implementation hearings, before inquiry chairman Lord Brailsford, continue.
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hearings → continue → Brailsford
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