In his third and at times combative appearance at the Covid-19 inquiry, in which he repeatedly interrupted the inquiry counsel, Jacqueline Carey, the former health secretary defended his decision to allow the NHS to postpone routine treatment and care from April 2020.
Asked if he thought it was the right decision, Hancock said: "Well, obviously reluctantly, but you're faced with a series of awful options - that was the least bad." He said the "overall point is that we did not have a collapse in the system".
But Heather Hallett, who is chairing the inquiry, questioned Hancock's assertion that the NHS was available to all in the pandemic according to need, pointing out that patients requiring cancer screening, a hip replacement or other surgery could not access the care that they needed.
Hancock insisted that the NHS had not been "overwhelmed" and that it had been "better to delay some non-urgent operations" in order to protect the health service and the patients themselves because people were "more likely to catch Covid in a hospital than in almost any other setting".
This story is from the November 22, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 22, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Senior bankers to get bonuses years earlier under new rules
Senior UK bankers will receive their bonuses years earlier under plans by the Bank of England to relax post-financial crisis restrictions.
Romania Pro-Russian's presidential bid troubles Europe
After an upset in the first of three crunch votes that could lead to Romania veering towards a more anti-EU, pro-Russian stance, the country will return to the polls on Sunday for a parliamentary ballot followed, on 8 December, by a presidential runoff.
They were children who looked like me' Netflix show recounts Rio police killings
Netflix show recounts Rio police killings
Ukraine suffers power cuts after Russia launches its biggest drone attack yet
Russia launched its biggest ever drone attack on Ukraine on Monday night and yesterday morning, sending a reported 188 drones into the country against various targets, resulting in power cuts in part of western Ukraine and damage to residential buildings outside Kyiv.
Disenchanted youth hold key to Namibian presidential election
Namibians are going to the polls with the longtime ruling party's parliamentary majority under threat if dissatisfied young people turn out in big numbers amid a wave of anti-incumbent sentiment globally.
Seven dead as Khan supporters battle police in Pakistani capital
At least seven people were killed and dozens injured as thousands of supporters of the jailed former prime minister Imran Khan forced their way through security barriers and entered Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, yesterday morning.
Influencers need 'urgent' training on fact-checking, says Unesco
Social media influencers need urgent help to check their facts before they broadcast to their followers, in order to reduce the spread of misinformation online, Unesco has warned.
America's fentanyl epidemic Is Chinese supply responsible for the crisis?
Donald Trump's announcement that he will impose a 25% duty on all goods from Mexico and Canada, and a 10% duty on China, on top of existing duties, was perhaps to be expected.
US politics Rivalries break out ahead of inauguration
Internal rivalries in Donald Trump's team have spilled into public view with Boris Epshteyn, a top adviser to Trump, being accused of asking potential administration nominees to pay fees in exchange for promoting them to the president-elect.
Canada Trudeau calls emergency talks to discuss threat to exports
Justin Trudeau has called an emergency meeting with provincial premiers across Canada after the US president-elect, Donald Trump, threatened a 25% tariff on imports from the United States' northern neighbour and largest trading partner.
