Governance: Ethics, Data and Procurement

During the pandemic, AHRC-funded research has examined questions relating to legal and ethical preparedness and responsiveness within health and social care and in government. Studies cover public sector procurement, COVID-19 related fraud, the use and management of data by the public sector, and vaccine development, uptake and delivery. They have identified a need for cross-departmental […]

An Urgent Review of Single Source Procurement During the Pandemic: Recommendations for Best Practice and Reform

About the project This project has investigated “single source” (non competitive contract awards) procurement of urgent goods and services made by public bodies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has investigated whether additional controls could improve procurement and safeguard transparency, public trust and value for money. It has developed a standard operating model on […]

Lex-Atlas COVID-19: A Comparative Study of National Legal Responses to COVID-19

About the project Lex-Atlas aimed to provide an integrated overview of national legal responses to COVID-19. It analysed how countries deployed emergency legislation within their constitutional and socio-political contexts and examined how different forms of disruption, or variations in social policy coverage and care of human rights ensued. It attempted a neutral account of the […]

Ensuring respect for human rights in locked down care homes

About the project This research examined and interrogated decision making and working practices in care homes under lockdown, with a view to understanding how to embed robust human rights in care settings in the context of the extraordinary pressures created by the COVID-19 public health emergency. The research was conducted as an extension of the […]

Children, acceptable health risks and COVID-19: Ethical guidance for a fair policy response

About the project This project explored how the health systems response to the COVID-19 pandemic affected children and young people with long-term health conditions in the UK. It analysed the impact of the pandemic on healthcare delivery and access, the potential of innovative practices developed in response to the pandemic, and how service restrictions have […]

Mutual Aid Groups and Their Lessons for Post-crisis Community Care

About the project COVID-19 and accompanying restrictions on social and economic life has led to increased food poverty and vulnerability. This project examined how mutual aid was enacted during the pandemic, investigating who organised mutual aid initiatives and asking what helped or hindered their enactment of mutual aid. The project team consisted of academics from […]

Communicating the Pandemic

About the project This project explored the challenges involved in communicating information effectively to all parts of the British population during the pandemic. A multi-wave nationally-representative survey collected data from UK adults during 2020. Analysis was able to identify distinct population groups and characterise them by differences in experience, values, attitude, and behaviour. Understanding of […]

The Covid-19 Review Observatory: Tracking Parliaments’ Performance in the UK during the Pandemic

About the project The Covid-19 Review Observatory records, tracks and assesses how parliaments across the UK have held governments to account for human rights protection during the pandemic. Focusing primarily on the making of legislation, regular opportunities for review and scrutiny (such as question time or scrutiny of delegated legislation), and ad hoc reviews (like […]

Nursing Narratives: Racism & the Pandemic

About the project Nursing Narratives has taken a ground level approach to understand the experiences of Black and Asian healthcare staff in the pandemic. Through surveying and interviewing workers, it has found that racism is prevalent in the health and social care sector, and structural racism impacted healthcare workers. A mix of social science and […]

NHS Voices of COVID-19

About the project This project extends from the NHS at 70 project, to investigate, identify, and document the impacts of the pandemic on healthcare workers and patients. It was based on over 2,000 interviews, recorded remotely by volunteers, of NHS staff, clinical leaders, policy makers and patients. For policy makers The project illuminates the lived […]