Welcome and apologies
Members were welcomed to the meeting and provided introductions.
Apologies were noted.
Action review
All actions were complete.
CISD programme verbal update
As this is the last Advisory Board for the CIS Digital Programme, the board highlighted the survey's key achievements. The programme has shown its ability to pivot and respond to the rapidly changing requirements which has contributed to its success. The survey has also taken a transparent approach regarding quality, timeliness, and consistent reliability to get information out weekly.
There is confidence in the successful oversight of the programme including the current pause and how this is managed. The survey received the Harding Prize for Useful and Trustworthy Communication which solidifies its reputation as the gold standard.
The future
Short term – The teams are working to produce final analytical outputs and to complete closedown activities. Alongside this, positive discussions are being continued with UKHSA over future health surveillance. There is a keen interest in keeping the cohort of participants engaged, whilst the survey has been paused. ONS plan to carry out a questionnaire only study for quarter one without biometric testing.
Medium term – The ONS have been awarded a grant from the Wellcome Trust to work with lower to middle income countries. The ONS will work with countries by sharing expertise, developing surveillance capabilities and addressing data gaps.
Long term – To look at wider strategic aims whilst continuing to explore and strengthen public health analysis. Work which can generate an impact which goes beyond the remit of health and will provide increased value.
A critical factor to the success of the survey is the collaboration between ONS and its partner organisations. Collaboration is a fundamental component to any future surveys.
The survey has an engaged a loyal cohort of participants. The teams are currently exploring how the cohort can be engaged in future work and the challenges with refreshing the sample to ensure representativeness. ONS teams will continue to track the composition of response rates and adjust the sample where necessary.
The board discussed the significance of the closedown of the survey, as it is important to ensure there are surge capabilities ready for any future requirements.
Celebration of key achievements
The board thanked the enormous amount of work people have contributed, highlighting partnerships between ONS, UKHSA, IQVIA, Oxford University and Prof Sarah Walker's team. These partnerships produced significant value over the lifetime of the Covid-19 Infection Survey and contributed to the UK's response to the pandemic.
The survey shed light on inequalities within the UK that would not necessarily have come forward. The ability to understand what was happening in the community was a critical component of the survey.
Future health surveillance was discussed, with lessons to be learnt from the survey to contribute towards future surveillance capabilities. It was noted that the survey has acted as an exemplar for the statistical community and lessons learnt should be reflected on to prepare us for possible future pandemics. The importance is placed up on continuously developing health surveillance for the country which should be forward looking and prepare us the future.
Board members will continue to promote and recognise the importance and capabilities of the survey in the UK and on the global stage.
Members present
David Spiegelhalter (Chair)
Sarah Crofts
Fiona Dawe
Dan Dukes
Jeremy Farrar
Anne Johnson
Monika Preuss
Emma Rourke
Ruth Studley
Nick Taylor
Thomas Waite
Sarah Walker
Secretariat
Henry Barker
Joanne Blay
Sian Hawkins
Apologies
John Bell
Christopher Jewell
John Newton