Disaster Capitalism

[peteo48]

I have always had reservations about the running of any public institution which doesn't have to "earn" the money. I don't mean the frontline workers or even the general management, but the institution as a whole. This includes things like the NHS, Police, Military etc. They bid and get awarded annual budgets and then set about spending it, but no-one is held to account personally for delivering value for money to the public, who are the ones funding it. If the institution fails to perform, they claim it needs more funding.

I know someone who is a very experienced industrial purchaser. He did some contract work at a county Constabulary and was horrified at the ineptitude and inefficiency, suppliers were used pretty much unquestioned. When he asked why he was told that they always used those suppliers and continued to do so. They were paying far more for consumables than if you or I went down to the local retail shop.

I also have a bugbear about the apparent design of hospitals. Look at industry and the amount of walking about is purposely minimised, while someone is walking about they aren't doing anything useful. Hospitals seem to be designed to require a maximum amount of walking about by the staff.

There is definitely an issue with procurement across the public sector with expenditure going to "approved contractors" - there was a scandal about £400 to change a light bulb (I think this derived from one of those PFI Private Finance Initiative schemes).

[Toptek]

I have always had reservations about the running of any public institution which doesn't have to "earn" the money. I don't mean the frontline workers or even the general management, but the institution as a whole. This includes things like the NHS, Police, Military etc. They bid and get awarded annual budgets and then set about spending it, but no-one is held to account personally for delivering value for money to the public, who are the ones funding it. If the institution fails to perform, they claim it needs more funding.

I know someone who is a very experienced industrial purchaser. He did some contract work at a county Constabulary and was horrified at the ineptitude and inefficiency, suppliers were used pretty much unquestioned. When he asked why he was told that they always used those suppliers and continued to do so. They were paying far more for consumables than if you or I went down to the local retail shop.

I also have a bugbear about the apparent design of hospitals. Look at industry and the amount of walking about is purposely minimised, while someone is walking about they aren't doing anything useful. Hospitals seem to be designed to require a maximum amount of walking about by the staff.

There is definitely an issue with procurement across the public sector with expenditure going to "approved contractors" - there was a scandal about £400 to change a light bulb (I think this derived from one of those PFI Private Finance Initiative schemes).

is
Agreed..  PFI own the building and charge for any jobs outside of the normal maintenance and they need to be consulted as they own the property.

[Toptek]

On a side note regarding procurement...
Savvy hospitals develop agreements with suppliers/manufacturers to establish a standardised product range. This is beneficial to the Trust to ensure that the whole Trust uses the same equipment, competency of the devices and training is managed effectively. These are reviewed with price and performance being part of the renewal agreement.
Worst case scenario is having various equipment somewhat doing the same job but no one knows the ins and out of the devices capabilities or limitations.
Also, I believe that a well managed hospital/trust has the ability to negotiate these contracts and deliver cost savings beyond those of the established 'hubs' set up to offer a generic one price for all. These hubs offer a generic price but they may not be what the Trust use and the supplier is desperate to keep their market share, rightly or wrongly. Also, these hubs require a subscription for their services... Another add on cost. For example,  NHS Supplies has an online catalogue,  yet another tier of procurement based on a national agreement... 
Rant over..

 

[Toptek]

I'm pondering over my response to the issue of the middle management layer with their clipboard bean counting skills selling a management solution proposed from a previous team several teams before...  Emperors new clothes comes to mind...
Those long in the job have seen this.

[Toptek]

Cynical...  Me..   

[JimSh]

My original post was about the profiteering on the back of  the covid outbreak, the supply of energy and food shortages due to the war in Ukraine.
Somehow it has morphed into a discussion on the shortcomings of the NHS.
The NHS is struggling due to shortage of staff and a backlog of patients following the pandemic.
Once again though there are people standing to make large amounts of money out of exploitation of the difficulties within the system.

https://jacobin.com/2018/01/uk-national-health-service-privatization-austerity/

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/may/03/government-pandemic-privatise-nhs-by-stealth

It's interesting that the first article predates the pandemic and that things were already bad in 2018 but are now so much worse.

[Westy36]

Somehow it has morphed into a discussion on the shortcomings of the NHS.

All good threads go off at a tangent!

So what we know so far, in essence, is that the Tories have absolutely shaft-d this country. Probably for ever, and yet folk still vote for them despite the evidence of their wrong doing? I love our country, but worry about its future. What will future generations do with the mess left from this Disaster Capitalism Tory time period?

A member of the public has done a sterling job of addressing the current administration. Do watch the video. As she correctly states when it comes to the tories sorting the NHS “Well don’t you think 12 years is long enough?”

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/aug/25/woman-confronts-steve-barclay-nhs-ambulances

[Kremmen]

I think the last GE was heavily influenced by Jeremy Corbyn.

People didn't vote for the Tories but against Labour

[JimSh]

A member of the public has done a sterling job of addressing the current administration. Do watch the video. As she correctly states when it comes to the tories sorting the NHS “Well don’t you think 12 years is long enough?”

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/aug/25/woman-confronts-steve-barclay-nhs-ambulances

Good for her.

What they have done is sneaked in, under the cover of covid and the difficulties of the NHS, the 2022 Health and Care Bill which is another top down re-organisation of the NHS which makes it easier to privatise and sell off parts of the NHS.

" The main issues facing the NHS are understaffing, underfunding, and privatisation. The Bill will do nothing for the first two of these and will accelerate privatisation."

https://keepournhspublic.com/privatisation/health-and-care-bill-2021/

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/dec/07/public-nhs-the-new-health-and-care-bill-alarm-bells-privatisation

All good threads go off at a tangent!

Now I'm doing it to my own thread

[Westy36]

I think the last GE was heavily influenced by Jeremy Corbyn.

People didn't vote for the Tories but against Labour

I think your spot on there Mr K. 

I remember watching a Newsnight programme. They asked members of the public how they felt about various policies, which they all by and large thought were good policies. Once they were made aware they were however from the Labour manifesto, that said they were great but still wouldn't vote Labour!

I found out more about Kier recently when I listened to https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000pdqz   

[peteo48]

I think the last GE was heavily influenced by Jeremy Corbyn.

People didn't vote for the Tories but against Labour

It was a massive factor I agree.

[JimSh]

I think the last GE was heavily influenced by Jeremy Corbyn.

People didn't vote for the Tories but against Labour

How much of this was due to his ridiculing by the right wing press?

https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/if-jeremy-corbyn-ignores-the-rightwing-press-he-will-be-exterminated-10502313.html

https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/jeremy-corbyn-was-right-to-call-out-the-press-for-their-absurd-scare-stories-a6673271.html

Edit added 2nd link