The state opening of Parliament took place. The Queen’s Speech promised legislation to enact the latest NHS white paper, Integration and Innovation. However, it was more or less silent on social care, despite prime minister Boris Johnson’s claim that he had a “clear plan” for the sector when he became prime minister two-years ago.
The Office for National Statistics confirmed that the Covid-19 pandemic has led to the largest fall in life expectancy since the second world war; and that it has widened health inequalities. Against this backdrop, the government announced that a public inquiry will start next year. On the IT front, a large electronic patient record tender collapsed. But SilverCloud Health used mental health week to renew its Space from Covid support offer.
