Frameworks for secrecy and private profit
A seemingly endless succession of large-scale “Framework Agreements” have been rolled out by NHS England and the Department of Health in recent months, creating conditions for more rapid award of … Read more
Test-and-trace system called’Utter shambles’ by GPs and medics
The Doctors’ Association has criticised the coronavirus testing system as “an utter shambles” after collecting a dossier of cases where the system has led to long journeys and considerable waits … Read more
Backlog of 185,000 Covid-19 tests as swabs sent abroad
The UK’s test-and-trace system for coronavirus has a backlog of nearly 200,000 swabs, resulting in samples being sent to laboratories in Italy and Germany as the Government’s privately run system struggles … Read more
Almost 50% of Britons do not believe Boris Johnson’s claim that NHS is ‘off the table’
A new poll has found that almost half of British voters do not believe Boris Johnson’s claim that the NHS is “off the table” in trade deals. The survey by pollsters Survation found … Read more
BMJ view: outsourced and undermined: the COVID-19 windfall for private providers
The private sector has been the winner in the Government’s response to COVID-19 in England – but why, given the growing and predictable litany of mistakes it has made? A … Read more
Concern over ‘opaque’ Covid-related contracts
An analysis by the Open Contracting Partnership and Spend Network has found that the UK has spent more than £2.5bn on services and equipment related to the Covid-19 pandemic. The … Read more
Sending learning disabled patients to private hospitals increases risk of abuse
A report from the organisation for NHS managers, NHS Providers, warns that the increasing use of private sector hospitals to look after patients with complex learning disabilities has left patients at risk … Read more
Framework procurement launched for community and discharge services
The North of England Commercial Procurement Collaboration are to launch a £1.4 bn procurement framework for external help for discharge and community services. The procurement was launched after consulting with … Read more
Matt Hancock tells private firms ‘join us’ as he sets up new health body
The health secretary Matt Hancock today heaped praise on private firms and urged them to “join us” as he announced a new health body to replace Public Health England. He … Read more
McKinsey banks £560,000 consulting for new test and trace body
McKinsey & Co is set to receive £563,400 for a few weeks of work to help define the “vision, purpose and narrative” of a permanent organisation to manage the coronavirus … Read more
£10bn contract up for grabs for outsourcing work by private hospitals
NHS England has announced its intention to seek private hospital groups to help with reducing waiting lists. The planned contract could result in a spend of £10bn on outsourcing work … Read more
No compensation to DMC Healthcare for Medway GP services
The private company DMC Healthcare will not receive any compensation following the loss of a contract for five GP surgeries and suspension from three others. DMC Healthcare notified NHS chiefs it would … Read more
New trial for England’s revamped NHS contact-tracing app
The revamped app will be based on Apple and Google’s decentralised model. NHSX has been working with the tech giants to develop a new version of the app after abandoning its … Read more
Test and trace to cut 6,000 jobs but strengthen regional teams
The centralised test and trace system run by companies, like Serco and Sitel, is cutting 6,000 contact tracer jobs and allocating roles to regional teams to work with councils. This … Read more
NHS and private sector block contracts terminated
NHS England has terminated a number of its block contracts including those with all the inner London private hospitals — established at the beginning of the covid outbreak, despite a … Read more
No refunds over Ayanda Capital mask deal
HSJ reports that the government will not receive any reimbursement for the 50 million masks supplied by Ayanda Capital, which may never be used in the NHS. The FFP2 masks … Read more
England’s contact tracers ‘making handful of calls’ a month
The Guardian reports that contract tracers hired to work on England’s test-and-trace system report that they are making only a handful of calls every month and are occupying their time with barbecues … Read more
Thanks to outsourcing, England’s test and trace system is in chaos – Allyson Pollock
Allyson Pollock, clinical professor of public health at Newcastle University and author of NHS plc: the Privatisation of Our Health Care, discusses why the government’s test, track and trace system, … Read more
My fight for safeguards in private and NHS hospitals
The story of Ian Paterson the rogue breast cancer surgeon who was allowed free reign to ruin thousands of lives over 17 years is now quite well known. You can … Read more
Majority of the public want the NHS protected in trade deal with the USA
A new poll from the campaign group We Own It has found 75% of people want the NHS to be protected in a trade deal with Donald Trump. Parliament is set … Read more
