Thread by @JenWilliamsMEN

Re pillar 2, a reminder of what Greater Manchester found when its first data finally came through last wk
manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-m…

(After weeks of contradictory statements from the DHSC.) From poking about in the last couple of days: no, LAs don’t all yet have postcode level data but seems to be because not all of them have yet signed the data protection act (weren’t offered it until y’day in some cases)

They’re not allowed to publish the pillar 2 data they do have, which is at borough level. They’ve been told it must remain confidential. Not clear why, but best guess among those I’ve spoken to is that the data itself is still too rubbish

*And apparently there are also 16,000 GM test results that are simply ‘missing’ from the early days of the programme*

This article I wrote on June 9 gives an idea of how the govt’s comments on this issue moved around over the space of a month
manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-m…

(Fwiw the first time it implied councils already had the data was the day before the MHCLG published a blog aggressively denying our story on the ‘everyone in’ policy being wound up. I don’t have fond memories of that week.)

Finally: if I’d had a q at another Downing St presser, this is what I’d have asked about. The lack of Downing St pressers is a problem. The lack of data is a problem. The lack of competence is problem.

Off to make a brew now before starting another day of talking to baffled LAS