Former National Audit Office Director and author David Finlay is calling for urgent training for Ministers after the critical findings of the COVID-19 Inquiry Report revealed that the government failed its citizens during the pandemic.
In his book “Coronadiary: 100 days that changed our lives and three skills government had been told to improve,” Finlay uncovers a shocking discovery: Ministers had not received any collective training in decision-making skills that would have helped them effectively respond to the COVID-19 crisis. His research also revealed that the government had been warned prior to the pandemic to improve its skills in planning, data analysis, and risk management, which are crucial for making appropriate decisions during a crisis.
According to Finlay, the COVID-19 Inquiry’s report only reinforces his belief that the lack of training for Ministers had a major impact on the government’s ability to prepare and respond to the pandemic. He states, “It’s clear from the Inquiry report that Ministers were not adequately prepared for how to handle a pandemic like COVID. They lacked the necessary data to track its progress in the early stages, and as the report recommends, there needs to be a new approach to risk assessment during emergencies. These all go back to the three key skills of planning, data analysis, and risk management, which my research shows were previous weaknesses that Ministers had not addressed or been trained on.”
Finlay stresses the importance of training Ministers in these critical decision-making skills, stating, “We cannot expect doctors or pilots to perform their duties without proper training and qualifications. Yet, we entrusted our Ministers to make crucial decisions during the pandemic that affected our health and livelihoods without any training on how to make such important decisions.”
He fully supports the ten recommendations made by the COVID-19 Inquiry, which call for significant improvements in planning, data collection, and risk management. However, Finlay believes that these improvements will not be achieved unless Ministers are trained to always prioritize these three skills in their decision-making process. He is calling on the Cabinet Office to urgently implement a short, effective training program for Ministers.
Finlay has a strong message for the government, saying, “The COVID-19 Inquiry report has rightly stated that the state must not fail its citizens again by repeating the mistakes made during the pandemic. As citizens, we have the right to expect that our Ministers will be trained in making complex decisions under the immense pressures that arise during national emergencies.”
David Finlay’s book, “Coronadiary: 100 days that changed our lives and three skills government had been told to improve” (ISBN 9781802270792), is available now. He can be contacted at davidfinlay2012@hotmail.co.uk.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.