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 report by Peter Blackburn on the deals that have been struck, the money wasted, and the mistakes that have been made over and over. The BMA has issued recommendations on private provider use, including the role of private outsourcing in England to be scrutinised in any future public inquiry on the UK government’s handling of the Covid crisis; a substantial increase in funding for the NHS and local public health departments; transparency of private contractual agreements; and a more robust governance system under NHS control that has oversight of management and coordination of procurement.
Full article on the BMA website, 8 September 2020
