I predict much more of this with organisations trying to win tenders at low cost. We keep seeing problems with tendering and I'm not entirely sure that people understand the process properly.
I really think we need to get health care back in the NHS. Holistic care is being lost due to targets.

The fact this has happened throws up lots of questions about the commissioning process and subsequent monitoring. It is possible there was criminal activity, it is possible it was incompetence, it is possible it was bad luck. Rumour is PAYE and pension contributions have been deducted but not paid. Classic small business collapse due to fingers-crossed financial management style.

Whatever the reason it should have been spotted well before it got to this point by proper financial overview being part of the contract, and that contract properly monitored.

What's the betting Lighthouse staff are at this very moment beavering away, unpaid, trying to maintain the service to clients and those responsible are busy building their personal defence case..

Trouble is this is not a client group that evokes sympathy and the political response may not be helpful to the cause. Imagine if your local GP practice shut overnight, someone would be doing something quick.

(I Put this in the wrong thread, I think)

I was thinking about this issue on the way to the shops this morning, after watching the news since 4.00am due to my daughter propensity to be an early riser.
The Tories have said they would like to curb/cut public spending if they come into power, focusing their attention on the NHS. The head of the TUC was saying this is ludicrous in this current economic and financial climate as front line services need to be bolstered and not slashed to support any recovery from the recession.

Anyway my thoughts surrounded the mass inequalities faced by drug workers/services in the care field repetitively held ransom to whimsical funding streams and juggled tenders. The Police, Prison, Nurses, teachers, social workers and probation officers etc all walk out on strike, never have I ever heard of drug workers uniting and picketing a service or county council. We are like the dogs of war. The Liverpool Lighthouse is another victim along with the many more services who have been swallowed up over the past 3 years by loss of key tenders, over growth and faulty management.

quote:

Originally posted by Simon Greasley:
I predict much more of this with organisations trying to win tenders at low cost. We keep seeing problems with tendering and I'm not entirely sure that people understand the process properly.

Hi Simon,
I am an 'ex' employee of Lighthouse Project. Not being involved in the final tendering process I can't really comment on what low costs we quoted and subsequently won - but I would like to highlight that the problems that raised their ugly heads recently were due to :

quote:

Originally posted by Simon jimjones:
Classic small business collapse due to fingers-crossed financial management style.

I was involved in the performance monitoring and system architecture development of the organisation, and can confidently say Lighthouse Project, in respect to performance was way ahead of any of our NHS constrained rivals and the large Southern based competitors.

Our service delivery was transparent, effecitve, cost efficient AND holistic. This was due to the hard work, dedication and compassion of all Lighthouse Project employees.

quote:

Originally posted by Simon jimjones:
What's the betting Lighthouse staff are at this very moment beavering away, unpaid, trying to maintain the service to clients and those responsible are busy building their personal defence case..

----------------------------------------------

That is right. Not getting much press are TWP (The Womans Project) and Alternatives.

TWP http://www.lighthouseproject.c...TWP_Info_Leaflet.pdf was closed with 30 minutes notice on Monday 7th Sep. Leaving vulnerable woman who were making real life changing progress with no word of goodbye.

Alternatives
http://www.lighthouseproject.c...natives_Overview.pdf was the same. People who had spent years getting over drug addiction - finally involved in something positive, in the middle of training with a large established support group. Shown the door without even a phone number.

Lighthouse Project staff have spent their own money and time to try and help their much loved clients throughout this horrible process.
I have been touched at how our staffs sole focus throughout the process of them loosing their jobs - has been to focus on their service users.

I joined this organisation straight out of uni as a money seeking gordon gecko. But I have left, humbled and honoured to be part of a group of people solely focused on enriching the lives of disadvantaged people and our community as a whole.

It was unfortunate that over the past two years LHP has lacked the business acumen that stifles our competitors delivery of compassion - but allows them to be waiting with accounts dotted and tee'd in the wings.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: NEG,

It's very sad to hear this and another reason why health care should be in the NHS.
Healthcare should be out of arms reach of political interference and organisations trying to make a fast buck.
Well done to the staff and I hope at some point somebody realises what is being lost.
Where did Martin Calow go?

I have personal experience of this. The NHS is often a comfortable sinecure for the weak and incompetent. The private sector is interested only in the bottom line profit. The third sector may well find itself crushed between the two when bidding for contracts. There is no simple answer but we do have to try harder!