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How should London plan for emergencies?

24 October 2024, 6:15 pm–9:00 pm

Emergancy

Join us for the first instalment of the London Planning Seminar Series.

Event Information

Open to

All

Availability

Yes

Organiser

Michael Edwards

Location

G01
Central House
14 Upper Woburn Place
London
WC1H 0NN
United Kingdom

The first report of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry has now appeared and shown how weak or non-existent were the preparations and planning for that emergency, both nationally and regionally. This seminar will discuss some of the learning from the Inquiry Report and how the UK can get better prepared for emergencies yet to come. It will also raise the issue of whether planning for emergencies should continue to be treated as a distinct policy sphere or integrated in to the normal practices of dealing with the economy, housing, benefits, greenspace, public health and so on.

The seminar invites us to consider how London and its government structures could better handle these issues, given the segregated domains of planning we have inherited. There will be a short talk with slides followed by discussion.

These seminars are designed to generate discussion among UCL staff and students, relevant policy professionals and community organisations.

This is a hybrid event.

Christina Pagel

There is no recording and Prof Pagel considers that her slides, which were prepared to support her talk, would not be clearly understood without the commentary, so they are not being made available. However there have been 3 short articles by her in the BMJ since the UK Covid-19 inquiry’s module 1 report on the resilience and preparedness of the UK which had “no hesitation in concluding that the processes, planning and policy of the civil contingency structures within the UK government and devolved administrations and civil services failed their citizens.”

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.q1633

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.q1847

https://www.bmj.com/content/386/bmj.q1857

On the specifics of the current pandemic the Independent SAGE now has a (free) substack to which you can subscribe: Independent SAGE continues https://independentsage.substack.com

On the London preparedness issues, Matt Hogan (GLA Resilience Unit) wrote in the chat, suggesting we read the London Risk Register (2022 version online, 2025 version coming soon) which identifies pandemic toward the top of the list of perils. London Risk Register, London City Hall. Thanks, Matt.

The Just Space community-led recovery plan for London was also referred to in the discussion. That page also has links to the London Assembly meeting about it.

Next London Planning Seminar: 5 December 1800h on aspects of LTNs and approaches to analysing their impact, with John Burke and Zeina Hawa (Sustrans). Details to follow.

Best wishes,  Michael Edwards

About the Speaker

Christina Pagel

Christina Pagel is Professor of Operational Research (a branch of very applied mathematics) at UCL, using mathematical tools to support delivery of health services. She runs a large programme of research to understand and communicate outcomes in congenital heart disease.

She is also co-director of the UCL CHIMERA hub where researchers will examine anonymised data to develop a better understanding of how people’s physiology changes during intensive care and co-lead of the UCL SPROCKET project aiming to improve services for children with complex health needs.

Since May 2020, she has been a member of Independent SAGE, a group of scientists working together to provide up to date information for the public on the COVID-19 crisis. At the height of the pandemic, this included giving weekly public live-streamed briefings on the latest covid and many interviews in print and broadcast media, nationally and internationally.