Opinions on how the Government have handled the coronavirus outbreak

[Daniel Quinn]

It makes all the difference in the world.

[TroutFisher]

I’ve been following various news channels today and it is clear the comments of some medical and scientific experts has the journo’s starting to turn on the government and question their competence in the management of this crisis, mainly around acting too late, a soaring infection and death rate that is likely to be the highest in Europe and the lack of PPE for our brave front line NHS staff and Care Home workers.

Furthermore, the COVID-19 testing currently available requires people, including our NHS and Care hero’s to travel many miles to a test centre where they are having to join long queues to have swabs taken. Sometimes it is so busy, people, including our essential Medical and Carer staff are turned away.

What I actually question is the competence of our Civil Service to act on the instructions and directions Government ministers give them to set up what is needed that can function efficiently and capably. I’m inclined to think that Dominic Cummings may have a point and our Civil Service is in need of a major make over. The F&CO are also under criticism for their incompetent management of the return of U.K. citizens from abroad when other European Countries seem to be managing the issue well. In a previous occupation, about 18 years ago, I had a couple of roles where I had to work closely with F&CO personnel. My experience was that they were totally up themselves, had no concept of human compassion, were grossly incompetent, made many mistakes, some of which brought a threat to the life of victims I was working to support. It seems to me, nothing has changed. I feel that were we to have a competent and strategic Civil Service, we would be in a better place today.

In the meantime, it seems the original discriminatory policy of ‘Herd Immunity’ has not gone away and remains the backstop; the bottom step on the stairs where we continue to sit.

[slinger]

Robert Peston has just put this up on his Twitter account. Posted without comment from me.

This is the best measure I’ve seen of quite how few #COVID19 tests the UK has done. It is an international league table of countries ranked by percentage of population tested, compiled by Julian Ozanne (who was on FT with me in another life). The UK comes 20th out of 20

[slinger]

Expect more lies and not answering the question from government ministers. Transparency and holding your hands up to a mistake would receive a lot more respect from me.

[CN211276]

Don't know what to believe about PPE for front line NHS staff running out, a world shortage or Government incompetence. I think it is a mixture of both. Brexshite has not helped but the Government will never admit this.

[Classicrock]

I don't get the PPE problem. Apparently Scotland and Wales have enough. Companies are making a lot though probably barely enough. It is likely the distribution system has not been properly sorted yet. I've yet to see any pictures of Intensive care staff that aren't fully kitted out. Someone hasn't been doing their job properly and it probably isn't the government mostly. You can set targets and request things are done but it requires thousands pulling together to make it happen. A review of the workings of NHS management, Public Health England and the workings of the civil service needs to be done when this is over. We are always the last country to do anything including rescuing stranded citizens abroad. Nothing to do with Brexit. The whole way this country operates needs remodeling which may mean more private sector involvement rather than less. It's the private sector that will get us out of this mess eventually through manufacturing ventilators, vacines etc. I am waiting to see what changes happen when Boris is fully fit and some asses are kicked. Jeremy Hunt back as health secretary?

[savvypaul]

Updated for 2020...

"Piss poor planning promotes piss poor performance, piss poor performance promotes death."

[valvesRus]

Updated for 2020...

"Piss poor planning promotes piss poor performance, piss poor performance promotes death."

I can't argue with that, but could you really suggest that things would be any better if Labour had won the last general election ?

[slinger]

Updated for 2020...

"Piss poor planning promotes piss poor performance, piss poor performance promotes death."

I can't argue with that, but could you really suggest that things would be any better if Labour had won the last general election ?

The Tories are now adopting a large number of Labour Policies.

The last general election is not nearly as relevant (to the question) as those in 2010 and 2015. If Labour had won those then I don't believe that we would have had 70,000 nursing vacancies or the lowest level of ICU beds per capita among major European countries at the start of the pandemic.

[Daniel Quinn]

Classicrock were have you got your facts from?