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1/ In May 2020, we started legal action to force disclosure of Govt's "population triage" report ie who will be refused NHS care if services are overwhelmed.
Govt hid that plan from NHS staff & the general public.
When are we going to get some honesty? https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/29/nhs-could-face-horrendous-choices-over-who-gets-coronavirus-care
Govt hid that plan from NHS staff & the general public.
When are we going to get some honesty? https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/29/nhs-could-face-horrendous-choices-over-who-gets-coronavirus-care
2/ Govt was desperate to hide this report, they refused to answer our legal requests FIVE TIMES. The timeline is here: https://cygnusreports.org/timeline/
Finally the Information Commissioner's Office had to step in and force the Govt to respond. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/11/whitehall-told-to-release-secret-2016-files-on-uk-pandemic-risks
Finally the Information Commissioner's Office had to step in and force the Govt to respond. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/11/whitehall-told-to-release-secret-2016-files-on-uk-pandemic-risks
3/ Matt Hancock then gave grand speech to Parliament disclosing "the Cygnus Report" - except his report says nothing about the NHS, nothing about intensive care. @TimFarron picked up on this.
Hancock thinks we're stupid. We decided to take him to court.
https://www.leighday.co.uk/News/Press-releases-2020/October-2020/Response-to-announcement-of-publication-of-Cygnus
Hancock thinks we're stupid. We decided to take him to court.
https://www.leighday.co.uk/News/Press-releases-2020/October-2020/Response-to-announcement-of-publication-of-Cygnus
4/ Govt then played their final hand - they denied the Dept of Health had a document on population triage, forcing us to withdraw from legal action.
Except that a few weeks later, the @Telegraph published evidence that the Dept of Health DID have a document on population triage.
Except that a few weeks later, the @Telegraph published evidence that the Dept of Health DID have a document on population triage.
5/ So our brilliant lawyers at @LeighDay_Law wrote to Govt, [paraphrased] "you've got the report which you said you didn't have, the NHS is in serious danger, could you give us the report pls?"
Govt response was: "You need to send us another Freedom of Information request"!
![5/ So our brilliant lawyers at @LeighDay_Law wrote to Govt, [paraphrased] "you've got the report which you said you didn't have, the NHS is in serious danger, could you give us the report pls?"Govt response was: "You need to send us another Freedom of Information request"!](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EqcUzTxXEAQixYX.jpg "5/ So our brilliant lawyers at @LeighDay_Law wrote to Govt, [paraphrased] \"you've got the report which you said you didn't have, the NHS is in serious danger, could you give us the report pls?\"Govt response was: \"You need to send us another Freedom of Information request\"!")
Govt response was: "You need to send us another Freedom of Information request"!
6/ Meanwhile, during these circular legal games played by Govt lawyers paid by YOUR TAXES, there have been 80,000 deaths.
Govt's own guidelines and recent IFG report say that transparency is essential in a pandemic. But they're refusing to disclose data.
What are they hiding?
Govt's own guidelines and recent IFG report say that transparency is essential in a pandemic. But they're refusing to disclose data.
What are they hiding?
7/ The response to COVID-19 (eg the Coronavirus Bill) has been based on secret plans following Exercise Cygnus.
NHS is now at serious risk of the population triage plans coming into operation.
This is a democracy. We need to see ALL the Cygnus Reports. https://cygnusreports.org/why-you-need-to-know-about-cygnus
NHS is now at serious risk of the population triage plans coming into operation.
This is a democracy. We need to see ALL the Cygnus Reports. https://cygnusreports.org/why-you-need-to-know-about-cygnus
