NHS Digital created the first iteration of the list of some 900,000 people within two days using readily accessible data sources—hospital, maternity and prescribed medicines data. By 12 April 2020, three weeks after shielding began, a further 420,000 people had 7 Q 17; C&AG’s report para 2.3 8 Qq 13, 17 9 Q 17 10 Qq 3–4, 13–14 11 C&AG’s Report, Figure 14. 12 Qq 14–15. 13 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-technology-to-help-identify-those-at-high-risk-from-covid-19 14 Q93; C&AG’s report, ...

NHS Digital created the first iteration of the list of some 900,000 people within two days using readily accessible data sources—hospital, maternity and prescribed medicines data. By 12 April 2020, three weeks after shielding began, a further 420,000 people had 7 Q 17; C&AG’s report para 2.3 8 Qq 13, 17 9 Q 17 10 Qq 3–4, 13–14 11 C&AG’s Report, Figure 14. 12 Qq 14–15. 13 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-technology-to-help-identify-those-at-high-risk-from-covid-19 14 Q93; C&AG’s report, para 4.4 15 Royal National Institute for the Blind; Independent Age. 16 C&AG’s Report, para 11 17 Q 21; C&AG’s Report, para 11 10 Covid 19: supporting th Type: conclusion | Number: 10 | Response status: not_addressed Government response: 2.2 Whilst the government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation, it does not agree with the conclusion that DHSC and NHS Digital took too long to identify all clinically extremely vulnerable people. Given the data available at the time, and the novelty of sh