Xann Posted May 5, 2020 Share Posted May 5, 2020 Quote The government is using the coronavirus pandemic to transfer key public health duties from the NHS and other state bodies to the private sector without proper scrutiny, critics have warned. Doctors, campaign groups, academics and MPs raised the concerns about a “power grab” after it emerged on Monday that Serco was in pole position to win a deal to supply 15,000 call-handlers for the government’s tracking and tracing operation. They said the health secretary, Matt Hancock, had “accelerated” the dismantling of state healthcare and that the duty to keep the public safe was being “outsourced” to the private sector. In recent weeks, ministers have used special powers to bypass normal tendering and award a string of contracts to private companies and management consultants without open competition. Deloitte, KPMG, Serco, Sodexo, Mitie, Boots and the US data mining group Palantir have secured taxpayer-funded commissions to manage Covid-19 drive-in testing centres, the purchasing of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the building of Nightingale hospitals. Now, the Guardian has seen a letter from the Department of Health to NHS trusts instructing them to stop buying any of their own PPE and ventilators. Grauniad 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted May 5, 2020 Share Posted May 5, 2020 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bannedfromHandV Posted May 5, 2020 Share Posted May 5, 2020 Servile scum, the lot of them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xann Posted May 5, 2020 Share Posted May 5, 2020 What do you expect from the filth? It's an opportunity to them. Go out and clap like good idiots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davkaus Posted May 5, 2020 Share Posted May 5, 2020 Quote In recent weeks, ministers have used special powers to bypass normal tendering and award a string of contracts to private companies and management consultants without open competition. In normal times, this was be absolutely outrageous, but the tendering process can take a significant amount of time, that we don't really have. It is an important process that should help avoid corruption, in almost all times in which we prefer integrity and value to come ahead of speed of making a deal. During this kind of time-sensitive global crisis, it seems fairly reasonable to bypass it, IMO. I do think though, that there ought to be a full inquiry in to our government's entire approach, not only so we learn what we could and should do better next time, but to investigate deals like this which were made to ensure they were made in good faith. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xann Posted May 5, 2020 Share Posted May 5, 2020 Let's bring this one into this thread from a couple of weeks ago... Quote Revealed: Private firm running UK PPE stockpile was sold in middle of pandemic Grauniad Yay for private interests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ml1dch Posted May 5, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted May 5, 2020 2 hours ago, StefanAVFC said: 4 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowychap Posted May 6, 2020 Share Posted May 6, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowychap Posted May 6, 2020 Share Posted May 6, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xann Posted May 6, 2020 Share Posted May 6, 2020 Matt Hancock didn't like Rowena's "tone"? That'll be the truth, Matt. It's the truth you don't like. As you've proved time and again. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted May 6, 2020 Author Moderator Share Posted May 6, 2020 1 hour ago, Xann said: Matt Hancock didn't like Rowena's "tone"? That'll be the truth, Matt. It's the truth you don't like. As you've proved time and again. He knows it too. He knows she was right. You could tell he was half itching to agree with her, but knew that to do so would be to create a massive storm. He really didn't like it up em' and didn't like that what the Gov't want. which is no pointed opposition criticism, they want a nicey nicey just agree we're great back pat. wasn't given to him. And FWIW Dr Rowena is clearly a good 'un. I hope the other ones Starmer picked are of the same ilk and capability. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VILLAMARV Posted May 6, 2020 Share Posted May 6, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VILLAMARV Posted May 6, 2020 Share Posted May 6, 2020 4 hours ago, snowychap said: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VILLAMARV Posted May 6, 2020 Share Posted May 6, 2020 5 hours ago, snowychap said: Fascinates me how little people seem to care about these things. (Not dwarves, you know what I mean) There's not usually any trouble finding someone to do a good impression of the 'nail them up I say' guy off Life of Brian. Even on here, there's often people wanting the police to beat some sense into them or be tougher on crime (whatever that means) yet when it transpires that people in power are operating outside of the legal framework it doesn't seem to invoke the same anger within those same souls. It's the same indifference that means the Grenfell inquiry won't amount to much other than maybe some poor patsy taking the fall or the Hillsborough trial dragging on for decades. But Joe Bloggs committing by comparison rather minor infractions and they'll all be up in arms and sounding off. Police illegally threatening or detaining people?, Governments making it up as they go along? Councils overstepping their remit? Bailiffs acting like Judge Dredd? Never mind that, Mrs Jones went out for 2 exercises today... I get it that it's hard to hold people in lofty societal positions to account, but, like I say, fascinating to me. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted May 6, 2020 Share Posted May 6, 2020 38 minutes ago, VILLAMARV said: I get it that it's hard to hold people in lofty societal positions to account, but, like I say, fascinating to me. Think it largely boils down to 'like most other apes, we live in hierarchical societies and support leaders until they become too weak, when we begin supporting other ones'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VILLAMARV Posted May 6, 2020 Share Posted May 6, 2020 Consistency though ain't it, like we want from referees. Where's the "nail some sense into 'em" brigade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Silvers Posted May 6, 2020 Share Posted May 6, 2020 4 hours ago, blandy said: He knows it too. He knows she was right. You could tell he was half itching to agree with her, but knew that to do so would be to create a massive storm. He really didn't like it up em' and didn't like that what the Gov't want. which is no pointed opposition criticism, they want a nicey nicey just agree we're great back pat. wasn't given to him. And FWIW Dr Rowena is clearly a good 'un. I hope the other ones Starmer picked are of the same ilk and capability. He is a despicable horrid little man and although I do not condone violence in any way shape or form, I'd like to kick his teeth in. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VILLAMARV Posted May 6, 2020 Share Posted May 6, 2020 Dr Batman has said in a tweet that she won't be watching her tone anytime soon, but linking that to here on my tablet is beyond my capabilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jareth Posted May 6, 2020 VT Supporter Share Posted May 6, 2020 I think Hancock's put down was pure frustration at not getting his hard work recognised. The Labour MP was introduced by the speaker with a big thank you for their work in the NHS - and at that moment I think Hancock mentally imploded - all he wants is a pat on the back for having to work very hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wezbid Posted May 6, 2020 Share Posted May 6, 2020 (edited) The guy is a real life smeagal. *But a lot less redeeming. Edited May 6, 2020 by Wezbid 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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