To be flabbergasted by this Government’s incompetence.

[Cam77]

*2000 of 500,000 NHS staff tested.
*Germany performing nearly TEN TIMES the number of tests as the UK. despite the WHO saying for weeks and weeks that they key is to “test test test”
*Continuing shortages of basic PPE for health workers (who are being threatened if they speak out)
*Thousands of people still cramming on to public transport, with not one metre let alone 2 metre distance.
*The Government failing to sign up to the EU ventilator scheme.
*Being one of the last Western countries to close schools and implement any kind of lockdown.

I know it’s tough for everyone but this is a level of criminal negligence from the British government. Absolutely shocking.

The only thing it proves to me is that the NHS is extraordinarily bad at procurement, despite the undoubted heroism of medical professionals

Truest thing on this thread. It really needs sorting out once all this is over.

On the subject of comparing our government's competence to that of others, I notice today in the FT it is reported that the Texas governor has listed church services on the list of "essential services".

Not for one second saying this excuses our PPE situation - completely separate discussion and yes it's a clear fail - but to use this crisis to gain anti-Tory political currency really is just wrong and the reason for a lot of the prickliness on this thread.

Not for one second saying this excuses our PPE situation - completely separate discussion and yes it's a clear fail - but to use this crisis to gain anti-Tory political currency really is just wrong and the reason for a lot of the prickliness on this thread

Isn't that a case of 'whataboutery'?

Did people hear about the Exercise in 2016 that was about a pandemic - the report hasn't been made public for some reason.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exercise_Cygnus

Don't think so. You can answer a different question without it being "whataboutery".

PPE has massively increased in price as everyone wants it. They are competing for it but it’s just that, a competition. PPE is the most important thing here without a doubt.

Whilst I may not agree with certain things I honestly can not praise the response for health (other than PPE). The new hospitals, the massive remobilisation of staff. We do need PPE and then to increase testing however. But you also can’t do the second without the first.

I know PPE has a lifespan but how long is it?

It seems common sense for the NHS to have it in stock in huge numbers, given the predictable nature of this.

@Blossomad
I am so sorry that your elderly relative is in this awful position and it must be devastating for you as a family. I can only imagine what you are going through 😢

On the subject of comparing our government's competence to that of others, I notice today in the FT it is reported that the Texas governor has listed church services on the list of "essential services".

What relevance does the governor of Texas have to how well our govt is handling this outbreak?

Regardless of whether a planning exercise was conducted in the past or not (I believe it showed the NHS was unprepared and whoosh, here we are), this has been unfolding now for several months, with other countries ahead of us showing what to do/not to do. Plenty of time to get our shit together. And we didn't.

There is a really obvious way you can tell whether the Government has done a sufficient job. That is the death rate of people who had no pre existing conditions. If that is higher than other countries then there will be no avoiding that the planning and tactics have failed or we are doing a worse job than other countries.

You are already doing a worse job.
How the hell can ye not see it.
Ye are gone beyond a laughing stock. Ye are now an example of what not to be as a country. Appalling.

My friend is a nurse. They're still struggling not getting enough PPE.

My GP surgery has finally got some PPE delivered today.

My wife who works there bought it on eBay and it arrived at our house this afternoon and she picked it up on her lunch time.

Remington sorry if I missed it, did you say where you are based please?

You are already doing a worse job. How the hell can ye not see it. Ye are gone beyond a laughing stock. Ye are now an example of what not to be as a country.

Care to post some evidence for this utter tripe? Perhaps you could examine the death rates per million across the world and learn something about reality.

It is relevant to "the subject comparing our government's competence to that of others" as noted in the bit you copied and pasted yourself.

Well let’s assume Remington isn’t very relevant as they don’t live here. Though not sure why you bother to pop in and say anything in that circumstance

The FT coverage (not behind a paywall) is very good and shows we are about on the same trajectory as other European countries for deaths since first x deaths. It's sound data for relative comparison between the evolution in different countries therefore relevant to the (unnecessary) debate about how much worse our government is than others.

www.ft.com/coronavirus-latest

@LilacTree1 it has a few years on it. The last time anything even remotely like this though was swine flu in 2010. There’s the issue of storing the equipment which just wouldn’t be possible for the amount we actually need. It is trickling through but it’s the masks that are the issue mainly, we aren’t safe without them but have such short supply they’re limited to those with symptoms for the basic masks. I feel to protect ourselves and patients/clients we should be wearing them for all contact. There’s also now a uniform shortage due to the massive mobilisation so people are buying standard trousers and t-shirts to wear but these won’t be washable at 60degrees unlike uniforms.

A friend (retired several years ago) who was fairly high-powered in international risk said recently that a pandemic was one of the top scenarios for "war-gaming". Who forgot to invite the NHS to participate?

Honestly, there are alternative (and frankly superior) universal health care models available that don't involve trying to wrangle the world's third largest workforce (behind the PRC's army and Walmart) into some semblance of order.

I’d like some reassurance that there’s enough sedation available. And how will it be sorted. I had to ask for my dad to be sedated a couple of days before his death. It upset me that they didn’t do it before I asked.

None of your business where I am. But he are heading for total disaster. And not one country will touch ye with a barge pole after this due to your absolute incompetence. Hang your heads in shame. I know exactly what your death rates are.
Y are a total disgrace.

So you’re talking shit. Good to know.

Remington, thank you for your reply. All good wishes to you

Not talking shit. I know a lot more than he Muppets here about this.
Come back in 2 weeks when you see your country decimated cos ye haven't a fucking clue and are too arrogant to admit it.
Shameful. Totally shameful.