Let's Be Heard - Scottish COVID 19 Enquiry

The Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry is investigating the devolved strategic response to the pandemic in Scotland between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2022. The Inquiry will establish the facts, identify the lessons that need to be learned, and make recommendations to Scottish Ministers.

What is Let's Be Heard?

The purpose of Let's Be Heard is to encourage people across Scotland to engage with the Inquiry by sharing their experiences of the pandemic. To be better prepared for the future, it is important we hear directly from people about what happened to them and understand the lessons they believe should be learned.

The information we gather through Let's Be Heard will help guide the Inquiry's investigations and inform its reports and recommendations. We need to reach as many people as possible across Scotland, which will help us identify any unequal impacts of the pandemic.

This national phase of Let's Be Heard is open until 20 December 2023.

What questions are we asking?

Let's Be Heard is asking the public three core questions:

What were your experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic?
What were the impacts of these experiences on you or the people you know?
What lessons do you think should be learned from your experiences?

How can you share your experiences?

Online:

Visit lbh.covid19inquiry.scot and complete our online form (opens new window). You can also record your answer to each question as an audio file and upload it to the platform.
Download an editable PDF form and return to us by email, or print and return by post.
You can also help someone else to share their experiences, if they need support to participate. You can tell us you are doing this on the form.

Paper:

Contact us to request a paper form with return envelope.
Limited quantities of paper forms have also been sent to GP practices, pharmacies, public libraries, care homes and community centres across Scotland.

As part of a group:

Hold a group discussion (opens new window) and take part as a group, family or organisation. We have an Engagement Guide to help you do this available online, or you can request a copy. Let's Be Heard: Sharing Scotland's COVID Experience
We have resources available to help you promote Let's Be Heard and enable people to take part. You can use these resources in your newsletter or on your website.
Members of the Let's Be Heard team would welcome being invited to attend any group discussions. If we are able to attend, we can do so to take note and hear people's experiences. We would also be happy to answer any questions relating to the Inquiry and Let's Be Heard but otherwise we will leave the facilitation to you - we understand you are best suited to engage meaningfully with your communities or members, and that people would be more comfortable sharing in that environment.

What different formats and languages are available?

Children and Young People

We have a page on our online platform for children and young people (opens new window). This includes an online
form and other resources. You can also download the form or request paper copies.

Easy Read

We have a page on our online platform in Easy Read (opens new window). This includes an online form and other
resources. You can also download the form or request paper copies.

Large Print

The form and other resources are available in large print. You can download these from our
online platform or request paper copies.

Translations

We have translated the form and other resources (opens new window) into Gaelic, simplified Chinese, Polish, standard Punjabi and Urdu. You can download these from our online platform or request paper copies.

If you would like information in a format or language which is not currently available, please do contact us.

If you have already collected people's experiences of the pandemic

If you are part of a group or organisation, you may have already collected information about people's experiences of the pandemic in Scotland. You can send us a report (opens new window) of these experiences and we will include the findings in our work.