Daily Insight: What a waste

More than two years after initially launching their procurement for an advice and guidance provider, commissioners in the West Country have finally completed the process.

But the shambles presided over by the three integrated care boards in question takes some beating.

After having their first contract award significantly shortened by the courts following a “manipulated” process, two of the ICBs have now chosen their supplier for a second time.

The supplier in question is Cinapsis – the same supplier chosen in the first procurement. In other words, it’s taken two procurements, one legal battle and lots of wasted taxpayers’ money to get to this point.

The saga has been an embarrassment for Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB, Gloucestershire ICB and Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB. BNSSG’s absence from the re-procurement speaks for itself following the mess the two other ICBs made of what should have been a straightforward process.

Cinapsis will doubtless breathe a sigh of relief after finally having certainty over their contract, while rival firm Consultant Connect – which overturned the first procurement – accepted a defeat they saw as inevitable.

The ICBs insist lessons have been learned. Let’s hope so.

The fallout continues

Neil Thwaite’s position as chief executive of Greater Manchester Mental Health Foundation Trust was looking increasingly precarious after a governance review sparked by a care scandal in the forensic division.

He has been under significant pressure since September, when an undercover BBC Panorama investigation found a “toxic culture of humiliation, verbal abuse and bullying” at the trust’s Edenfield Centre, a secure facility within the forensic division.

Numerous staff members have since been sacked, while chair Rupert Nichols resigned in November. Deborah Partington, the chief operating officer, also departed.

Investigations into the trust continue, but earlier this month, a review by the Good Governance Institute found there had been multiple governance failures, suggesting the board was not aware of the horrors at Edenfield.

It found problem areas were hidden by aggregated data, assurances were taken too easily, directors rarely visited the wards and the organisation was overly focused on its positive image.

But in a section about executive oversight, the GGI authors wrote: “Some of the issues and concerns relating to adult forensic services had been escalated and were known at higher levels within the trust, including high levels of disciplinary action and formal investigations, allegations of a lack of open and fair recruitment, and sickness levels.”

That appeared difficult for Mr Thwaite, and he has now announced he will step down, after serving his notice period.

He said: “Following the awful failings highlighted at Edenfield and other challenges, the last six months have been incredibly difficult for everyone…

“Now we have launched our improvement plan, which will be implemented over the next two years, I feel this is the right time to hand over the reins to a new CEO.”