Impact of COVID-19 on Health and Social Care Reflected in Latest Inquiry Publication

Health and social care workers across Scotland have had their pandemic experiences formally recorded by the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry, with publication of its first Narrative Record covering the health and social care sector.

The record summarises evidence heard from 156 witnesses over more than 16 weeks of public hearings between October 2023 and May 2024. It documents the challenges reported both by witnesses working in the care sector and by those receiving care in Scotland between January 2020 and December 2022.

Spanning 21 chapters, the record covers care homes, healthcare and social care services, and end of life care. Recurring themes include grief and bereavement, mental health impacts, PPE availability, staffing pressures, and the quality of guidance issued during the pandemic.

The record also includes a note on Anne’s Law, new legislation strengthening the rights of care home residents to maintain contact with loved ones during infectious disease outbreaks. Regulations under this law were approved by the Scottish Parliament in March 2026.

This is the first in a series of Narrative Records from the Inquiry. Future publications will cover:

• Education and certification
• Businesses and the self-employed
• Welfare assistance programmes
• Justice, equalities and human rights, worship and life events

The evidence reflected in the Narrative Record, together with all other evidence gathered by the Inquiry on this subject, will be considered by the Inquiry when putting questions to the people who decided and implemented Scottish Government policies during the pandemic – including Scottish Ministers and senior advisors. It will also inform the Inquiry’s recommendations to help Scotland prepare for future pandemics.

The full Narrative Record will be available from 2pm on Tuesday 24 March at https://www.covid19inquiry.scot/report/narrative-record-health-social-care