Department of Health wasted £15bn on unused Covid supplies, watchdog finds

National Audit Office finds extraordinary waste' along with failures of governance, oversight and financial controls

The Department of Health has wasted a total of 15bn on unused personal protective equipment, Covid tests and vaccines, prompting heavy criticism from the Whitehall spending watchdog.

The department spent 8.9bn during 2020/21 and another 6bn last year on such supplies, including masks and gowns for NHS staff that have proved unuseable and are now being burned.