Test and Trace

Unfortunately, the Tory ideology of privatisation comes before human lives.

The huge amount of public money that's been wasted on the private companies, some of whom haven't had any experience of dealing with something like this is a national scandal.

£15 billion are about to be poured into this system. I expect that the public enquiries into this mismanagement will go on for years.

Apparently we will still need test and trace after the vaccine because many people won’t take up the jab.

It's not just that a significant number of people won't take up the jab, but nobody knows whether it will even work and for how long.

Unfortunately whoever runs T & T it will only ever be as effective if people checking into venues give their correct contact details., this is not always the case!!

Happy to have a jab but not yet. Waiting for it to be doled out then see how effective it is first.

The main issue is not with the few rebels who refuse to give correct contact details but with the contracts handed out to mates of this government. To companies with no prior knowledge or expertise. Watch the Salisbury Poisoning and see how local services, working together are more effective.

The most important thing is past experience, in running such a system.

The current contract holder has none.

The LAs and NHS have decades of experience.

Tens of thousands aren't giving their number as they can't afford to isolate if they're contacted.
That's why it's not working.

The lack of due process in awarding the contracts is appalling and something to be shouted about and robustly challenged. It is not just about giving money to mates it is also about lack of duty to prioritise the safety & health of the citizens of the UK.

petra

Tens of thousands aren't giving their number as they can't afford to isolate if they're contacted.
That's why it's not working.

It isn’t working because of the way it is being operated.

although the job is advertised at clinician level 6, which is at a health or science degree level. with an hourly rate between £16.97 and £27.15. “Your tasks will be to conduct public health risk assessments, provide public health advise and use your clinical knowledge to escalate complex cases”.In fact most of the staff are between 18 and 20 and being paid the minimum hourly wage of £6.45.

Recently they have all been “upgraded“ to clinician level 6, but no training has been given.

So how has that gone?

As you might guess an absolute s..tshow.

Young tracers have been given calls where the person has just lost someone to covid and was in extreme distress, resulting in the young tracer being “distraught and crying“
They have had absolutely no training in bereavement counselling, but just the advise that If someone
is upset, give them time to talk!!

The government gave the instruction to Serco to upgrade these youngsters, and is using the pandemic to shift the boundaries between public and private provision, to restructure public health and pass lucrative contracts to poorly qualified private companies.

The inevitable result is a galactic cocky.

This is what you get from a government that values money above life.

Monbiot
29/10

Corruption on a massive scale

Jo Maugham QC

Leaked Government documents reveal special procurement channels for ‘VIPs’ and Cabinet contacts - and opportunities for 35-45% profit margins for insiders. goodlawproject.org/news/special-procurement-channels/… #goodlawproject

Just been reading that Level 3 call handlers, many of whom are 18 year old school leavers, have been told they are being moved up to being Level 2 clinical contact caseworkers after only 4 hours training. They have no choice in this, and will still be paid minimum wage. Serco have said that instructions to do this have come from the government and the Dept of Health and Social Care have confirmed this. I hope it's ok to add a link to the full article : amp-theguardian-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/28/england-coronavirus-covid-test-and-trace-teenagers?amp_js_v=a6&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQFKAGwASA%3D#aoh=16039697639802&_ct=1603969777000&csi=1&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fcommentisfree%2F2020%2Foct%2F28%2Fengland-coronavirus-covid-test-and-trace-teenagers

It is a scandal. One thing for it not to be working because of lack of investment, another thing for billions to be poured into the private sector without any measurement of success or any come back for failure. The money should go to local public health sectors who have demonstrated an much higher success rate.

NHS Test and Trace statistics (since launch)
Department of Health and Social Care Website

9.6 million people tested at least once

1,406,983 people reached by NHS Test and Trace

81% of identified close contacts who provided contact details reached

Full report gov.uk/government/pub.....

My friend tested positive on Monday. No contact from the test and trace people.

When this pandemic kicked off, there was a woman on Radio 4, representative of Environmental Health Officers. They were all furloughed as restaurants were shut, they offered their services to the government and heard nothing. Over 5000 skilled, experienced professional people. Absolute scandal.

25Avalon

Happy to have a jab but not yet. Waiting for it to be doled out then see how effective it is first.

A poster on another thread explained carefully why she didn't want to have the vaccine. I don't agree with her but she had her own reasons.

However "waiting to see if it works for the rest of you" isn't a reason to decline it.

Algeria’s often vaccines don’t work effectively at the start of a vaccine programme. There are several potential ones but some may be better than others. As dh is more vulnerable I would sooner be sure first before venturing out.

Should be Alegrias2. Sorry.

25Avalon I wrote this rashly without knowing your situation, I'm sorry.

Alegrias2 no problems

However "waiting to see if it works for the rest of you" isn't a reason to decline it.

Perhaps not for most, but for me I’ll be waiting to see If any side effects pop up