In testimony to the Covid inquiry, Prof Sir Stephen Powis, NHS England’s national medical director, expressed his fear that hospitals might be overwhelmed early in the pandemic. He revealed that plans were drafted to prioritize patient care, using criteria including age and frailty, under a ‘Covid-19 decision tool.’ This tool was designed to guide decision-making in overwhelmed hospitals but was never implemented due to a peak in infections. Powis acknowledged the controversial nature of these plans, which had not been widely discussed with patients or the public before being drafted.

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