Jeremy Miles MS, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
The Principles for Pandemic Preparedness (external link) which have been developed and endorsed by all four nations in the UK, is being published today. This is an important document, which will help ensure Wales is better prepared in the event of a future pandemic or emergency.
The Covid-19 pandemic, and the initial findings from the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, have demonstrated the crucial importance of the four UK governments working together in a co-ordinated manner, while respecting devolution and the unique needs of each part of the UK, in the event of a national public health emergency.
Pandemic planning should reflect a joined-up approach to risk and there are already well-established areas of collaboration across the four nations, including co-ordinated surveillance mechanisms between UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the public health agencies of Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland; co-ordinated procurement exercises for vaccines, medicines and personal protective equipment (PPE); and shared data platforms.
The principles being published today provide a strong foundation to further our collaboration, reflecting a shared commitment to ensure the UK is better equipped to face the challenge of future pandemics. They build on the lessons identified from the pandemic and are shaped by the findings of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry and early findings from Exercise Pegasus, which was the largest non-military exercise ever to take place in the UK. It tested the government’s ability to respond quickly and effectively during a prolonged crisis, with reports to be published by both the UK and Welsh Government at the end of 2026.
All four UK governments will develop and implement their approaches to improve preparedness and will work together to develop cross-UK capabilities within these guiding principles. They include protecting those most at risk, with governments committing to tailoring their capabilities to protect all communities and aiming to deliver an effective and equitable response to pandemics. The approach is grounded in a One Health perspective, recognising links between human, animal and environmental health, and is driven by evidence-based decision-making using robust data, science and expert advice.