Leaked report reveals Government was warned about its 'insufficient' preparations for a pandemic three YEARS ago

The Government faced growing fury over its handling of coronavirus tonight as it was revealed ministers were warned three years ago that its preparations for a pandemic were 'insufficient'.

Experts warned in 2017 that demand for services would outstrip capacity and outlined the problems facing care homes in the face of a highly contagious disease outbreak. 

The analysis, based on a 2016 simulation of a flu pandemic, codenamed Exercise Cygnus, identified a 'lack of joint tactical-level plans' for a public health emergency.

The 57-page Public Health England report, leaked to The Guardian, also identified concerns about the expectation that the social care system would be able to provide the level of support needed in the event of a serious outbreak.

It noted potential problems in providing 'the level of support needed if the NHS implemented its proposed reverse triage plans, which would entail the movement of patients from hospitals into social care facilities'. 

UK authorities today announced a further 464 coronavirus victims, taking the official death toll to 30,540. 

Britain now has the second highest COVID-19 death toll in the world behind only the US, which has recorded 75,000 fatalities. 

Liz Kendall, the shadow social care minister, said Exercise Cygnus 'provided clear warnings' about a lack of preparedness for a pandemic, particularly in social care. 

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The analysis, based on a 2016 simulation of a flu pandemic, codenamed Exercise Cygnus, identified a 'lack of joint tactical-level plans' for a public health emergency

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Liz Kendall, the shadow social care minister, said Exercise Cygnus 'provided clear warnings' about a lack of preparedness for a pandemic, particularly in social care.

She said: 'These warnings have now proved all too sadly true as the unfolding tragedy in our care homes shows.

'Care providers confirm they were not involved in subsequent discussions on how to put these problems right.

'Ministers must be clear about why they failed to act on the report's recommendations and what they will now do to fully protect and resource these vital services in future.'

Ministers have acknowledged the presence of the Cygnus report throughout the coronavirus pandemic, with Health Secretary Matt Hancock telling reporters last month that 'everything that was appropriate to do was done'.

The exercise, which lasted less than a week, involved participants responding to a dummy pandemic scenario in real time, engaging with the press and communicating messages to the public.

The Cygnus drill document found the possible impacts of a pandemic were not universally understood across Whitehall.

It said: 'The UK's preparedness and response, in terms of its plans, policies and capability, is currently not sufficient to cope with the extreme demands of a severe pandemic that will have a nationwide impact across all sectors.'

The document analysing the efficacy of the simulation identified four key lessons, including to be more prepared for a pandemic by better understanding of how the public would react to a worst-case scenario health crisis.

It also stated the Government was 'lacking' the capability and capacity to surge resources into key areas were a pandemic to be declared.

A further 22 recommendations included:

• The Department of Health working with others to develop a strategy for using antivirals in a pandemic
• Better planning among all state organisations to cope with potential staff absences
• Developing communication plans to inform the public during a health crisis
• The Department for Education carrying out a study into the impact of school closures on society
• Exploring the role of the military in such circumstances
• Seeing if social care provision, both in terms of staffing and capacity, could be expanded in a 'worst-case scenario pandemic'
• Government departments working together consider how they would cope with excess deaths

The report said 957 representatives representing national, regional and local level officials took part in the exercise drill, including people from all developed administrations, and representatives from NHS regions, Public Health England, and police and local authority personnel from across the country.

Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, the largest representative body for independent providers of adult social care, said: 'From what we understand this document set out a range of questions and actions that if they had been followed may have left us in a much better position to navigate the current health emergency.

'It would be really helpful if this document was put into the public domain as many of the key messages may still be helpful in today's pandemic.'