MPs slam government for paying £7k a day to private sector Test and Trace consultants
The Canary UK

MPs slam government for paying £7k a day to private sector Test and Trace consultants

Opposition MPs have slammed the government for paying £7k day rates to private sector consultants who’re helping the government to set up and run its testing system. Michael Gove has defended the practice. Sky News has reported that it had seen documents revealing Boston Consulting Group (BCG) was paid about £10 million for around 40 consultants to provide 4 months’ work. This was between the end of April and late August. The broadcaster said the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) received a 10 to 15% discount from BCG. Its day rates for public sector work reportedly range from £2,400 to £7,360. The report comes amid ongoing criticism…

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18 October 2020
Serco profits set to soar as contract for ‘broken’ Test and Trace system is extended
The Canary UK

Serco profits set to soar as contract for ‘broken’ Test and Trace system is extended

Outsourcing giant Serco has said it expects profits to exceed expectations in 2020 as a result of the uptick in work since the global pandemic. Updating the London Stock Exchange in an unexpected announcement, the company said the excess profits could now be returned to shareholders, with a consultation on dividend payments under way. The company which is leading the UK government’s Test and Trace scheme said it had achieved strong revenue growth in the three months from July, highlighting extensions to contracts to provide test sites and call handlers. Test and Trace has been described as a “broken system” and ‘unfit for purpose’. Satisfaction Serco bosses claimed…

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16 October 2020
Test and Trace consultants paid ‘£7,000 day rates’ by government for ‘shocking broken system’
The Canary UK

Test and Trace consultants paid ‘£7,000 day rates’ by government for ‘shocking broken system’

Private sector consultants are being paid day rates of around £7,000 by the government to help with its coronavirus test and trace system, according to reports. Sky News said it has seen documents revealing Boston Consulting Group (BCG) was paid about £10M for around 40 consultants to provide four months’ work between the end of April and late August.The broadcaster said the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) received a 10 to 15% discount from BCG, whose day rates for public sector work range from £2,400 to £7,360 for the most senior consultants.Its report comes amid ongoing criticism of the government’s £12bn Test and Trace system. (PA…

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14 October 2020
Pregnant woman waited a week for Test and Trace call after catching coronavirus
The Canary UK

Pregnant woman waited a week for Test and Trace call after catching coronavirus

A pregnant woman who caught coronavirus (Covid-19) was only contacted by the Test and Trace service eight days after she learned of her positive result. The Canary has previously reported on the problems with the Serco-run Test and Trace system.Vulnerable categorySally Fazeli, from Preston, Lancashire, received the call – asking for details of people she’d been in contact with and offering advice on self-isolating – just as her own period of self-isolation was ending.Her husband Ayman Fazeli told the PA news agency:They said on the call, ironically, they knew she was in the vulnerable category by way of being pregnant and that they wanted to get in touch…

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6 October 2020
TRUMP COVID LATEST: President To Be Taken To Hospital Following Positive Covid Test 
Politicalite

TRUMP COVID LATEST: President To Be Taken To Hospital Following Positive Covid Test 

PRESIDENT Donald J. Trump was taken Walter Reed Hospital Friday in what the White House said was an ‘abundance of caution,’ after the leader of the free-world tested positive for Coronavirus.Fox News reported that the President had been given a cocktail of drugs including “zinc, Vitamin D, famotidine, melatonin and a daily aspirin,” in addition to completing an infusion of Regeneron’s polyclonal antibody cocktail.Trump was sent to Walter Reed via Helicopter The President will be working from Walter Reed and there will not be a transfer of power.“President Trump remains in good spirits, has mild symptoms, and has been working throughout the day,” White House Press Secretary Kayleigh…

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2 October 2020
COVIDIOT! Prime Minister FAILS Test on HIS OWN Lockdown Rules
Politicalite

COVIDIOT! Prime Minister FAILS Test on HIS OWN Lockdown Rules

BORIS Johnson was slammed yesterday after he ‘mis-spoke’ on his-own Lockdown policy in the North East, leading to even more criticism of his handling of the Coronavirus pandemic. During a press conference on jobs and growth, the PM took questions from reporters on the local lockdown in the North East of England.When the PM was asked about whether people from different households could meet in pub and restaurant gardens, Johnson said the following, ‘It is six in a home, six in hospitality but as I understand it, not six outside’."It is six in a home, six in hospitality but as I understand it, not six outside.”Boris Johnson was…

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30 September 2020
Former Sainsbury’s boss to take on key Test and Trace role
The Canary UK

Former Sainsbury’s boss to take on key Test and Trace role

The former chief executive of Sainsbury’s is to take over as testing director at Test and Trace.Mike Coupe, who retired as chief executive officer of Sainsbury’s at the end of May, is set to replace Sarah-Jane Marsh who is returning to her post as chief executive of Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust.Dido Harding, who runs NHS Test and Trace and is interim executive chair of the National Institute for Health Protection, said in an email to staff that Mr Coupe “will bring a wealth of experience in large scale supply chains, logistics and digital transformation”. Baroness Dido Harding (Dominic Lipinski/PA)It is understood he will be in…

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29 September 2020
National Health England

Transparency data: NHS Test and Trace (England) and coronavirus testing (UK) statistics: 10 September to 16 September 2020

Department Of Health ODS, 64KB This file is in an OpenDocument format NHS Test and Trace regional breakdowns 28 May to 16 September 2020: data tables View online Download CSV 23.1KB ODS, 21KB This file is in an OpenDocument format ODS, 14.7KB This file is in an OpenDocument format Details The data reflects the first 16 weeks of operation of NHS Test and Trace in England, and testing operations in the UK since late March.For NHS Test and Trace (England), this includes:Testingpeople tested for coronavirus (COVID-19), England people testing positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), England time taken for test results to become available, EnglandContact tracingpeople transferred to the…

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25 September 2020
National Health England

Transparency data: NHS Test and Trace (England) and coronavirus testing (UK) statistics: 10 September to 16 September 2020

Department Of Health ODS, 64KB This file is in an OpenDocument format NHS Test and Trace regional breakdowns 28 May to 16 September 2020: data tables View online Download CSV 23.1KB ODS, 20.9KB This file is in an OpenDocument format ODS, 14.7KB This file is in an OpenDocument format Details The data reflects the first 16 weeks of operation of NHS Test and Trace in England, and testing operations in the UK since late March.For NHS Test and Trace (England), this includes:Testingpeople tested for coronavirus (COVID-19), England people testing positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), England time taken for test results to become available, EnglandContact tracingpeople transferred to the…

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25 September 2020