U.K. Government has handed contracts to private companies

[IT Minion]

Failing to tender properly means you won't get the best value for money and leads to cockups where you don't get what you asked for as due diligence didn't happen.

That's fine when you're buying a commodity product with good supply, but leads to the same mess that we saw buying PPE and with the mythical ferries. When things go wrong and you need stuff urgently you often need to slow down rather than get swept away in a panic.

 

[Deleted2797112]

Failing to tender properly means you won't get the best value for money and leads to cockups where you don't get what you asked for as due diligence didn't happen.

That's fine when you're buying a commodity product with good supply, but leads to the same mess that we saw buying PPE and with the mythical ferries. When things go wrong and you need stuff urgently you often need to slow down rather than get swept away in a panic.

So, in other words, no matter which way the Government had tried to source all the things needed in extraordinary numbers during a global pandemic with everything in short supply, it would have been wrong. It was wrong to take short cuts to get stuff quickly and it would have been wrong to follow established tendering procedures, let other countries mop up the limited available supply and we do without. Damned if they do and damned if they don't.

 

[IT Minion]

So, in other words, no matter which way the Government had tried to source all the things needed in extraordinary numbers during a global pandemic with everything in short supply, it would have been wrong. It was wrong to take short cuts to get stuff quickly and it would have been wrong to follow established tendering procedures, let other countries mop up the limited available supply and we do without. Damned if they do and damned if they don't.

Which is where I agree with you, in places. Just ranting about a lack of tender process isn't interesting. The individual contracts however are worth digging into. The choice to go central and use the usual suspects for outsourcing, even when they've got no competence in the relevant area, was questionable.

 

[Deleted2797112]

Which is where I agree with you, in places. Just ranting about a lack of tender process isn't interesting. The individual contracts however are worth digging into. The choice to go central and use the usual suspects for outsourcing, even when they've got no competence in the relevant area, was questionable.

Perhaps the 'usual suspects' are the only ones capable of mobilising very large numbers of people, kit, premises and everything else that was needed in a sufficiently fast timeframe to make a difference.

 

[Notch7]

It was wrong to take short cuts to get stuff quickly

you are wrong.

the government had lots of opportunity to buy PPE from numerous suppliers, but they ignored them.

these government contracts are all about self interest.....and yes awarding contracts to mates of Tories is wrong.

 

[IT Minion]

Perhaps the 'usual suspects' are the only ones capable of mobilising very large numbers of people, kit, premises and everything else that was needed in a sufficiently fast timeframe to make a difference.

Perhaps, but given the performance of Edenred, who couldn't deliver, and the performance of the testing process I'm not convinced that the speed promised was realised.

 

[Notch7]

Perhaps the 'usual suspects' are the only ones capable of mobilising very large numbers of people, kit, premises and everything else that was needed in a sufficiently fast timeframe to make a difference.

untrue.

the govt ignored lots of offers of PPE supplies. I know somebody that is an importer of Chinese goods, he has contacts within NHS prcourement, he offered ventilators, masks, aprons etc etc -but none of his contacts got back to him, so he sold what he had to Portugal.

the 'usual suspects' are mates of Tories, the good old old boys network, deals in golf courses.

 

[Notch7]

Perhaps the 'usual suspects'

Carilion

do let us now how well that worked out

 

[ajohn]

I think it's OK in the middle of a pandemic to use whatever means are necessary. Unlike the EU who put PPE out to a longwinded and lengthy supplier selection and tendering process and left member states struggling.

Being fair to people who are being critical they have used there "usual services". Serco as a group are into all sorts gov wise. This isn't the same as tendering for contracts really. Think I saw signs of ferries as well. Look yourself. You might say they left the tendering to Serco - sorting suppliers etc and prices.

Some strange things do go on at times such as the switch away from coal for electricity. People contacted and asked to start a company. No money, don't worry you'll get a low rate loan.

A more recent one. China doing HS2. Cheaper and quicker. They should be given the job. That is how real businesses work.

 

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

the govt ignored lots of offers of PPE supplies.

I believe there were multiple reports from businesses that offered their services to government and no response was ever received.

 

[JohnD]

Ten years of Tory austerity has reduced available resource, and Cumming's government has diverted the competent ones that can be spared to work on Brexit. Then on No-deal. Then on Brexit. Then on No-deal again.

 

[ajohn]

I believe there were multiple reports from businesses that offered their services to government and no response was ever received.

There has been but the gov doesn't have the people to handle it so the job is put out - Serco. Gov says they want to cut out the middleman so choose there own. They do have another problem as well. Every man and his dog wanting to supply the stuff and no idea what future supply will be like etc. Other factors such as solvency.

One of the more obscure aspects of privatisation is that it reduces the apparent cost of running the gov as less people are needed to be paid by it.

 

[ellal]

I think it's OK in the middle of a pandemic to use whatever means are necessary.

Very Orwellian!

We could of course let the most vulnerable die, as that could also be deemed as 'whatever means are necessary'

 

[Doug99]

Governments past and present have ALWAYS offered contracts to private companies. Has it become headline because its now Boris' government?..............Sigh

 

[Notch7]

Governments past and present have ALWAYS offered contracts to private companies.

thats not the question at stake.

what we need to know is who gains by these contracts

Has it become headline because its now Boris' government?.

No, its because this govt and its rich donors want brexit in order to make lots of money.

It is in the headline because this government is driven by self interest.

1. David Cameron – Prime Minister
Handed a peerage to nursing and care home tycoon Dolar Popat, who has given the Tories more than £200,000 in donations.

2. Andrew Lansley - Former Health Secretary & architect of privatisation
Received a £21,000 donation in Nov 2009 from John Nash, the former chairman of Care UK.


3. Harriet Baldwin – Tory whip
Former executive at JP Morgan, a major player in private healthcare.

4. Greg Barker – former Energy Minister
Held shares in Quester VCT 5 plc ,a venture capital firm with multiple investments in healthcare companies.

5. Henry Bellingham
Former director of Lansdowne Advisory Ltd, which has shares in private healthcare company Circle.

6. Jake Berry
Has registered interests in legal firm Squire Patton Boggs, which workd with multiple NHS trusts on PFI and PPP programs.

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7. Graham Brady
Former advisor to PA Consulting, a management consultancy company which has worked with the NHS’s new Clinical Commissioning Groups.

8. Simon Burns – former Health Minister
Attended an oncology conference paid for by Aventis Pharma - a five-day trip to the US funded by a leading drug firm.

9. Nick de Bois
Was the majority shareholder in Rapier Design Group, an events management company heavily involved with the private medical and pharmaceutical industries.

10. Steve Brine
Received almost £15,000 in donations from James Lupton, the chairman of investment bankers, Greenhill Europe which has a global network of corporate relationships in the healthcare sector.

11. Aidan Burley
Received six bottles of wine from Hitachi consultants for a speech in 2011. Hitachi Consulting UK built an online ‘portal’ for NHS commissioners to help them monitor performance.

12. Damian Collins
Spent almost a decade working for marketing agency M&C Saatchi, whose clients include PPP healthcare, AXA insurance, Astrazeneca, Pfizer and Merck

13. David Davis – former shadow home secretary
Received a payment of £4,250 for a six-hour speaking engagement for private health insurance company Aviva.

14. Jonathan Djanogly
Received £1,900 from Huntleigh Healthcare Ltd, which manufactures medical and orthopaedic equipment and instruments.

15. Richard Drax
Received £14,000 in a series of donations from Derek Luckhurst, chief executive and owner of care home group Agincare.

16. Iain Duncan-Smith – Work and Pensions Secretary
Has shares in hygiene technology company Byotrol plc, which sells products to the NHS.

17. Philip Dunne
Was a non-executive director for investment firm Baronsmead VCT 4 plc, which had multiple investments in private healthcare companies.

18. Michael Fallon – Defence Secretary
Former director of Attendo AB, - a Swedish private health company.

19. Mark Field
Was a board advisor to Ellwood and Atfield; a recruitment firm which recruit for NHS positions and private healthcare.

20. Liam Fox – former Defence Secretary
Received £5,000 from investment company IPGL Ltd, who purchased healthcare pharma company Cyprotex.

21. George Freeman
Has shares in Hill House Assets Ltd, formally private health firm 4D Biomedical Ltd.

22. Mike Freer
Provided marketing advice to Care Matters, a financial planning company for care homes.

23. Richard Fuller
Worked for L.E.K consulting, which has six ‘partners’ in European healthcare.

24. Richard Graham
Received £3,000 from asset manager Crispin Odey, a major investor in Circle.

25. William Hague – Leader of the Commons
Received a £20,000 donation from MMC Ventures, which parts owns The Practice plc which runs 60 GP surgeries.

26. Philip Hammond – Foreign Secretary
Beneficiary of a trust which owns a controlling interest in healthcare and nursing home developer Castlemead Ltd.

27. Mark Harper
Received £5,000 from asset manager Crispin Odey, a major investor in Circle.

28. Nick Herbert
Received £15,000 in donations from Caroline Nash, wife of former Care UK chairman John Nash.

29. Jeremy Hunt – Health Secretary
Received £32,920 from hedge fund baron Andrew Law, a major investor in healthcare firms.

30. Margot James
Had a key role at marketing giant WPP Group, which had a long list of healthcare clients.

31. Sajid Javid – Culture Secretary
Received £11,000 from Moundsley Healthcare Ltd last year.

32. Jo Johnson – Downing Street policy adviser
Received £6,000 from asset manager Crispin Odey, a major investor in Circle.

33. Kwarsi Kwateng
Worked as an analyst for for Crispin Odey’s hedge fund Odey Asset Management.

34. Mark Lancaster
Former adviser to property venture capital firm Company Palmer Capital Partners Ltd, a funder of Danescroft Commercial Developments, which has worked in the healthcare sector.

35. Dr Phillip Lee
Has worked as a freelance or Medical Solutions Ltd, which provided medical cover for events.

36. Oliver Letwin – former shadow chancellor
Was a non-executive director of N.M. Rothschild Corporate Finance Ltd, which invests heavily in healthcare.

37. Peter Lilley
Non-Executive director of management software firm Idox plc, which provides services to the NHS Health Libraries Group and NHS Education for Scotland.

38. Tim Loughton
Received £350 for training sessions with Cumberlege Connections, a political networking firm that works “extensively” with the pharmaceutical industry.

39. Mary Macleod
Was a senior executive at Andersen Consulting/Accenture, which has profited from big PFI deals.

40. Francis Maude – Cabinet Office Secretary
Was a director of PR firm Huntsworth plc, which was part of lobbying group Healthcare Communications Association.

41. Maria Miller – former Culture Secretary
Former director of Grey’s Advertising Ltd, an advertising and brand company which worked extensively with clients in the healthcare sector.

42. Andrew Mitchell – former International Development Secretary
Was a strategy adviser to global management firm Accenture, which has worked extensively with private healthcare companies and the NHS.

43. Penny Mordaunt – Communities Minister
Worked for lobbying firm Hanover, where she had a range of healthcare clients.

44. Brooks Newmark – former Charities Minister
Partner in the Allele Fund, which invests in healthcare startups.

45. Jesse Norman
Received £5,000 from asset manager Crispin Odey, a major investor in Circle.

46. Stephen O’Brien
Received payments totalling £40,000 from Julian Schild, whose family made £184million in 2006 by selling hospital bed-makers Huntleigh Technology.

47. George Osborne - Chancellor
Received donation through Conservative Campaign Headquarters from Julian Schild – see above.

48. Priti Patel – Treasury Minister
Worked for lobbying firm Weber Shandwick, which does PR for big healthcare and pharmaceutical firms.

49. John Redwood – former Cabinet Minister
Advised the private equity company which runs Pharmacy2u, the UK’s largest dedicated internet and mail order pharmacy.

50. Jacob Rees-Mogg
Partner of Somerset Capital Management LLP, which has healthcare investor Redwood Emerging Markets Dividend Income Fund as a client.