In a recent testimony to the Covid inquiry, Prof Sir Stephen Powis, the national medical director of NHS England, expressed his personal fears that hospitals could become overwhelmed during the early stages of the pandemic. He disclosed that a draft ‘Covid-19 decision tool’ was prepared to guide doctors on prioritizing patient care in crisis scenarios. Although the tool was designed to assess patients based on age, frailty, and underlying health conditions, it was never publicly released after the surge in infections appeared to peak in March 2020. Powis acknowledged the controversial nature of these plans, which had not been widely discussed with the public.