Overview

• Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer, Sir Gregor Smith, testified that shielding during the Covid-19 pandemic caused significant isolation and fear for vulnerable groups.
• Sir Gregor emphasized the necessity for improved mental health support for those asked to shield in future health crises.
• The inquiry highlighted the intense workload on medical teams, with some working up to 16-hour days, seven days a week.
• To manage the increased demands, the number of deputy chief medical officers was expanded from one to three during the summer of 2020.
• Sir Gregor also discussed difficult decisions, such as pausing cancer screenings, made to allocate resources to combat Covid-19, acknowledging the risks involved.