Hancock accused of wanting to decide who lived or died in the pandemic

Matt Hancock argued that he – rather than medical professionals – should be the one to decide who lived or died in the event of a shortage of medical supplies and the NHS being overwhelmed during Covid. This revelation comes from evidence given by Simon Stevens, who until 2021 was chief executive of NHS England, at the Covid Inquiry this morning.

Stevens didn’t like Hancock’s assertion, saying: ‘I certainly wanted to discourage the idea that an individual secretary of state, other than in the most exceptional circumstances, should be deciding how care should be provided. I felt that we are well served by the medical profession, in consultation with patients to the greatest extent possible, in making those kinds of decisions.’

And did Hancock lie during the pandemic? That seems to be another question the Covid inquiry wants answered today, asking both Stevens and Department of Health permanent secretary Chris Wormald repeatedly about it.