Sandra, thank you and let me support you from my contacts within the private
sector Construction business who try to work with the NHS - from an HR
perspective.
In real business, a bid team is assembled specific to each project drawn from
the best _current_ staff. Staff turnover is rapid due to competition, and new
staff are often head-hunted. Each contender spends several millions in
assembling the best bid, knowing that only 1 will succeed; those who lose may
"learn lessons" but can expect their contracts terminated knowing that's part of
the system in which there are are always new bid teams being formed. Even if
successful the contracts are often terminated but the staff re-hired under
different terms to implement their successful bid - and be accountable for
unintended consequences.
The NHS gets a bad reputation for its performance on the other side of the
table: managers are ill-informed and often lack the courtesy, never mind the
essential competence, to have read the bid papers. They appear to be complacent
in the knowledge that their jobs are for life however badly they perform.
On this IT-focussed list we will have much experience within the NHS of IT
managers, less of industry IT. This was the culture gap that R Granger tried to
bridge.
The Civil Service similarly has a policy of rotation through posts as if they
are all generic and domain knowledge is not valued: the current DH Civil
Servants are almost entirely new to the field after nGMS negotiations only 5yr
ago. Unfortunately they really do have jobs for life.
It seems obvious to those working with it that the Peter Principle* applies in
the NHS. They are also voters and opinion formers so "privatisation" holds no
fears for them.
Colin Brown
*See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Principle
-----Original Message-----
From: GP-UK [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Sandra Pickering
Sent: 21 February 2008 23:36
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Options
I have little experience of governments negotiating deals with the private
sector and will not comment on that.
I have decades of experience of how "deals" are negotiated within the
private sector and can confidently say that a very much higher level of
transparency, ethics and competence is the norm.
Sadly, I don't really expect anyone in public service to be interested in
learning from that.
Sandra
-----Original Message-----
From: GP-UK [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Declan Fox
Sent: 21 February 2008 15:59
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Options
<snip>
I ask only one question in closing----is this how billion pound deals
are negotiated with the private sector?
<snip>
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