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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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Ok so apparently there is more money than ever being pumped into the NHS
So lets say lack of money is not the issue
I have always had the opinion that external suppliers and contractors are ripping off the NHS
Point in case reoorted in the papers this week was the roller blind needed in an operating theatre
Contractors quoted £850 to supply and install
Apparently a nurse/ sister went to the local store and bought the same blind for about £28 and is getting estates to fit the blind.
So obviously this is a practice that goes on across the board in the NHS and other privatised companies as well.
So the question is how do we combat this to bring costs down.
The buyers in the NHS need to go back to school and learn how to haggle to get the best deal. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Name and shame; who was the contractor, I find it difficult to believe Contractors quoted £850 to supply and install 1 roller blind, will be interesting to find out the name of this contractor. |
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By *obka3Couple
over a year ago
bournemouth |
"Normally work has to be tendered for
and most hospitals have a maintenance crew"
The hospital where K works often has a young lad (early 30's) who does work there, he has several houses bought and paid for from the profits he makes contracting to the NHS he wouldnt have been able to do that working in the private sector |
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I believe it's part of the pfi the hospital was rebuilt using that they do all work like changing light bulbs etc and charge the earth for it , it's why the pfi contracts are resold between contractors , on another note , when the hospital's were rebuilt why didn't they build bigger a & e delta |
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By *oi_LucyCouple
over a year ago
Barbados |
"Ok so apparently there is more money than ever being pumped into the NHS
So lets say lack of money is not the issue
I have always had the opinion that external suppliers and contractors are ripping off the NHS
Point in case reoorted in the papers this week was the roller blind needed in an operating theatre
Contractors quoted £850 to supply and install
Apparently a nurse/ sister went to the local store and bought the same blind for about £28 and is getting estates to fit the blind.
So obviously this is a practice that goes on across the board in the NHS and other privatised companies as well.
So the question is how do we combat this to bring costs down.
The buyers in the NHS need to go back to school and learn how to haggle to get the best deal."
To be honest with you, I'm almost surprised the it is *only* £850. I can very much imagine how things like this go.
The hospital has some preferred supplier list and that list has set rates for certain things. The supplier probably spent a fair amount of time and money to get on that list. They are probabaly a reasonable sized company and have management and systems in place for installing things. It might not be just *any* old blind. If it is going in an operating theatre, then it might have had to be certified in some way or designed to some standard. Then there will be some kind of asset management system, it may be barcoded or something and have some kind of maintenance or cleaning schedule applied to it. The people doing the installation work will have needed to have been certified, and have been scheduled in to do the work... etc... etc.. the list goes on.
I worked for a while doing IT contracting to a part of the NHS and it was mind blowing how what seemed like simple tasks could end up being massive headaches due to various procedures and policies. The most annoying thing with my time there, is they were paying me a pretty decent some of money for the work I was doing, but the manager role and manager's manager role above be were both vacant, so despite me doing all the work as required, I don't think it ever got signed off and put into use.
-Matt |
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"Ok so apparently there is more money than ever being pumped into the NHS
So lets say lack of money is not the issue
I have always had the opinion that external suppliers and contractors are ripping off the NHS
Point in case reoorted in the papers this week was the roller blind needed in an operating theatre
Contractors quoted £850 to supply and install
Apparently a nurse/ sister went to the local store and bought the same blind for about £28 and is getting estates to fit the blind.
So obviously this is a practice that goes on across the board in the NHS and other privatised companies as well.
So the question is how do we combat this to bring costs down.
The buyers in the NHS need to go back to school and learn how to haggle to get the best deal."
Bullshit story!
I have installed the ventilation systems in quite a few hospital theatres. Some have been brand new, some have been getting refurbished, all have had no windows in pre op, theatre or recovery. The reason for this is simple, all theatres are positive pressure sealed clean air environments and windows can break or be broken. |
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"Ok so apparently there is more money than ever being pumped into the NHS
So lets say lack of money is not the issue
I have always had the opinion that external suppliers and contractors are ripping off the NHS
Point in case reoorted in the papers this week was the roller blind needed in an operating theatre
Contractors quoted £850 to supply and install
Apparently a nurse/ sister went to the local store and bought the same blind for about £28 and is getting estates to fit the blind.
So obviously this is a practice that goes on across the board in the NHS and other privatised companies as well.
So the question is how do we combat this to bring costs down.
The buyers in the NHS need to go back to school and learn how to haggle to get the best deal."
Not just public sector, I work for a private company running a large facility and we have sub contracted construction and maintenance firms that have been here since the dawn of time and charge us a fortune for everything. The company just pays up and never seems to look into finding a cheaper replacement. They just screw us out of bonuses, perks, etc instead, lol. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Ok so apparently there is more money than ever being pumped into the NHS
So lets say lack of money is not the issue
I have always had the opinion that external suppliers and contractors are ripping off the NHS
Point in case reoorted in the papers this week was the roller blind needed in an operating theatre
Contractors quoted £850 to supply and install
Apparently a nurse/ sister went to the local store and bought the same blind for about £28 and is getting estates to fit the blind.
So obviously this is a practice that goes on across the board in the NHS and other privatised companies as well.
So the question is how do we combat this to bring costs down.
The buyers in the NHS need to go back to school and learn how to haggle to get the best deal.
Bullshit story!
I have installed the ventilation systems in quite a few hospital theatres. Some have been brand new, some have been getting refurbished, all have had no windows in pre op, theatre or recovery. The reason for this is simple, all theatres are positive pressure sealed clean air environments and windows can break or be broken."
Yes & No
Blinds can be fitted on back of doors and depending on theatre there may be a glass window between rooms
but I do disagree with the charges as most hospitals have maintenance departments and for larger jobs tenders go out to a minimum of 3 companies where a full listing of pricing & procedures are returned with tender |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Ok so apparently there is more money than ever being pumped into the NHS
So lets say lack of money is not the issue
I have always had the opinion that external suppliers and contractors are ripping off the NHS
Point in case reoorted in the papers this week was the roller blind needed in an operating theatre
Contractors quoted £850 to supply and install
Apparently a nurse/ sister went to the local store and bought the same blind for about £28 and is getting estates to fit the blind.
So obviously this is a practice that goes on across the board in the NHS and other privatised companies as well.
So the question is how do we combat this to bring costs down.
The buyers in the NHS need to go back to school and learn how to haggle to get the best deal.
Bullshit story!
I have installed the ventilation systems in quite a few hospital theatres. Some have been brand new, some have been getting refurbished, all have had no windows in pre op, theatre or recovery. The reason for this is simple, all theatres are positive pressure sealed clean air environments and windows can break or be broken."
Not necessarily. I know of specific specialty theatres (minor ops or ophthalmic) that have windows. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Did anyone see the program about the NHS in Guernsey? They have a system similar to France. You pay to see your GP (£50), for your ambulance, operations etc. There are NONE of the problems there which the mainland are experiencing! Those on low income are covered by the state. Population of 60,000 so a reasonable size. |
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"Did anyone see the program about the NHS in Guernsey? They have a system similar to France. You pay to see your GP (£50), for your ambulance, operations etc. There are NONE of the problems there which the mainland are experiencing! Those on low income are covered by the state. Population of 60,000 so a reasonable size. "
I did not see the program, but I bet that they did not mention that the Channel Islands have the wealthiest population in the UK (its all those off shore companies that need a CI local director to make them legal[nice cottage industry]) and that it is that wealth that makes their system work... |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Private Health Care is not overly expensive, best thing I ever done!
.
Guess you have to weigh up your priorities:- good private health care so you can select hospital, surgeon, date & time you wish
or
Sky TV
0r
a good mobile phone
.
I opted for the first choice |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Name and shame; who was the contractor, I find it difficult to believe Contractors quoted £850 to supply and install 1 roller blind, will be interesting to find out the name of this contractor."
In fairness it wouldn't be a £10 one from a diy store. It would be purpose made and produced using specialist hygeine/ anti bacterial fabric that is very expensive (can't remember the name of it). No one knows how big the blind is either. It would need two people because of the nature of the working environment and 2 hours are probably wasted on h&s inductions. |
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This reminds me of a few years ago when the NHS were developing their UK-wide IT system which eventually got pulled. I was on a train from London and heard two BT guys chatting - they were blagging that their budgets were basically unlimited because of the IT contract. So I am not surprised that a lot of money does get wasted. However, it seems quite hard to drive efficiency in procurement, there have been numerous attempts over the years with mixed results. |
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