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
Contract failure
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
The private provider DMC Healthcare has had further enforcement action taken against it by a regulator after consistently failing to deliver a high standard of service to patients at its … Read more
What links a network of rapidly-converted field hospitals, a family run food and beverages company in Antrim, a network of “super-labs”, and Serco? The final name has probably given it … Read more
The Independent reports that it has been informed by a whistleblower that dozens of shifts at one of the government’s coronavirus mega-labs have been cancelled and staff paid to stay away because … Read more
The Care Quality Commission has shut down two surgeries and a practice – with a combined roll of more than 11,000 – after serious concerns were raised. The immediate action … Read more
When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, the NHS was unprepared due to its “heavily privatised, convoluted, and fundamentally dysfunctional system” of product supply, in particular of personal protective equipment (PPE), according … Read more
Serco has apologised after accidentally sharing the email addresses of almost 300 contact tracers. The company has been employed by the government to recruit staff as contact tracers for cases … Read more
Randox Laboratories which employs the prominent Conservative politician Owen Paterson as a paid consultant has been awarded a £133 million contract under the new fast-track procurement rules that mean no other companies … Read more
A contract for the care of children with autism is to be the subject of an independent review triggered by NHS England. The review will examine the oversight and management … Read more
A review is underway of ultrasound scans for around 1,800 patients following concerns about the “quality and safety” of work carried out by two sonographers employed by the independent provider, … Read more
A patient safety inquiry has been launched after the IT company, Cerner, a private contractor, failed to send more than 28,000 pieces of confidential medical correspondence to GPs, according to the … Read more
Bath and North East Somerset council is taking back control of adult social care provision after a long pay dispute between care workers and the contractor, Sirona. Sirona’s contract covered … Read more
The Cygnet Acer Clinic, a privately run mental health unit, has been banned by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) from admitting new patients; the inspectors found numerous safety failings, one … Read more
Maryfield Court, a private mental health hospital, has been rated “inadequate” and put into special measures by the Care Quality Commission. The hospital in Manchester is used for NHS patients … Read more
A service run by Curae Home Care has been shut down and an investigation launched into its practices over concerns it was putting clients at risk of harm. The Care Quality … Read more
Inspectors from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) have found 28 mental health units run by private companies to be “inadequate” in the past three years, leading to fears that vulnerable … Read more
Four GP surgeries in Swindon run by tBetter Health Partnership have been placed in special measures following CQC inspections. The practices have to make urgent improvements, according to the CQC. … Read more
The private service One to One Midwives has withdrawn the services it provides to the NHS and is to enter insolvency proceedings. This leaves about 1,700 pregnant women, some due … Read more
The Care Quality Commission has placed two hospitals run by the Priory Group in special measures in a fresh controversy over state-funded private contractors’ treatment of people with mental illness … Read more
