To think the government are doing all they can...

[mumoffluffs]

...and will make some mistakes (as would anyone in their position)

To be running the country at the time of this pandemic is one of the most difficult things to navigate and essentially "project manage". Its an incredibly delicate and intricate task.

Coming from a project management background I can say that there is so much that goes into just one project, never mind the immense task the government is having to pull together. The number of different areas they are having to almost reset legislation for expands more to than just the health and economy. I know from experience that any outcome will have been heavily condensed after a lot of consideration - whether right or wrong in the long run.

There are god knows how many different people they need to get advice from, multiple people managing multiple layers of individual projects, people to logistically manage this, and still try to keep the country satisfied with their efforts.

It is very easy to criticise everything being done, Matt Hancock said they welcome criticism and constructive ways to improve things, they won't get everything right, they also do not want ridiculous numbers of people dying.

All the parties in Parliament are working together to try to overcome this pandemic and yes they should be held accountable for shortfalls, but surely we should also realise and appreciate how they are managing this colossal task?

Wow, must be the 100th post on exactly the same topic

We get it, you want to applaud the government's response. You're entitled.to do that. Let's see what the death figures are in a few weeks and we can judge the adequacy of their 'project management'

If it really is true the government is doing all it can, then it's a damning indictment on the quality of government. Ventilators unordered. Test kits unordered. Contradictory messages from the same spokesperson in the same hour. Ministers lying. Dithering over what action to take and kicking a sludgeball of legislation through parliament that is going to take years to unpick in the courts.

Two nurses dead today from CV. We don't know whether a lack of PPE was a factor but so many health care staff are saying this is a problem.

I don't agree. We had enough warning from China. I started socially distancing when I first read about it. I knew it was going to be bad.

Yet most of the only flu folk were still pissing about for most of Feb & March.

The person who let Cheltenham/Crufts and all the other crappy events go ahead should be hung up.

@pocketem sorry I haven't seen any on the topic! Apologies for the spam in that case

The death figures will be increasing if that's what you mean?

As far as I am aware no country in the world has been prepared for this virus and as discoveries were being made of how this virus works they were expecting there to be a deaths. Also a huge surge in the amount of PPE and ventilators needed - everyone is in the same boat.

I'm just saying no matter who is in charge (Labour, Tory, Green Party etc, etc) this is a monumental task.

It's all relative. Yes the government here have made lots of mistakes, but it's not an easy task.

Some countries are doing better than others.

It could be worse, my home country has been practically criminally negligent in allowing people to just almost do whatever they please until very recent.

OP I am in project Management too and if I served such a poorly thought out and executed plan to my employers I wouldn't last long.

Glad yours are clearly more understanding

They are flailing around like the headlessd chickens they are. A government chosen by adherence to ideology over ability and experience.

Coming from a project management background I wholeheartedly disagree.

One example is the procurement of ventilators, as a project manager would you ignore trusted suppliers and hand the contract to a mate? I can't see any cost/time/quality benefit?

I think that NOW they're doing a great job and I can't imagine how difficult it must be. My one, big criticism throughout has been the lax interventions regarding flights, gatherings and movements in general. Could'a should'a done more, done sooner.

It is a monumental task.

Arguably made more monumental by Boris ‘just was your hands’ Johnson.

Not too sure Matt Hancock turning up at Nightingale when there’s a good chance he’s still carrying it is a fantastic idea either.

OP I am in project Management too and if I served such a poorly thought out and executed plan to my employers I wouldn't last long.

I really think that people aren't used to what good management looks like. I really do.

my home country has been practically criminally negligent in allowing people to just almost do whatever they please until very recent.

The same could be said for allowing Cheltenham/ Crufts and concerts to go ahead.

Projects I have managed, start off - the very first thing committed to paper.

WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE ?

So what's the official answer to that question. In one sentence ?

Far from it

FAR FAR FAR from it. I hope they’re paying you a lot to write this shite - Surely that’s the only way anyone would write it

They had months to get proper PPE in place
Months to get our manufacturers,engineers,testing labs & everything else sorted. Making hand gel PPE Testing kits, ventilators

Getting more staff & more volunteers organised and READY

Listening to virologists & scientists & realising ‘just wash your hands’ was NOT EVER going to be enough.

But they didn’t they fiddled while Rome burned whilst they ‘othered’ China.

‘Many many people will lose loved ones before their time’ shoukd NEVER have been their fucking attitude.

Jesus wept.

To the Project Managers out there:

1. Please do not tell me every one of your projects has been perfect (cost/quality/time).

2. Please do not tell me every single one of your suppliers has been perfect in the way they communicate to you and vice versa.

3. Please do not tell me that you honestly can compare a project you have done to running an entire country.

4. Have you had an entire nation / the world watching and criticising everything you do - and needing an entire (free) nation to follow your new orders which restrict their freedom?

As far as I am aware no country in the world has been prepared for this virus

No we weren’t. But we COUKD have been. China gave us every opportunity & every warning, but we did jack shit

‘Many many people will lose loved ones before their time’ shoukd NEVER have been their fucking attitude.

This is the attitude of every country - do you think anyone wants this to happen? It is just being realistic.

No. The Twitter thread details every life ending balls up this unprepared, slow and dismissive Govt made, from the PM's handshaking to Dr Harries saying outdoor events were fine.

The other stories link to PPE, ventilators and the Lancet uging for action in January.

twitter.com/uk_domain_names/status/1244163627483045889?s=20

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/27/advice-on-protective-gear-for-nhs-staff-was-rejected-owing-to-cost

www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30727-3/fulltext

We had a 3 week warning from Italy and they squandered it with their eugenics herd immunity plan.

There are god knows how many different people they need to get advice from, multiple There are god knows how many different people they need to get advice from, multiple people managing multiple layers of individual projects, people to logistically manage this, and still try to keep the country satisfied with their efforts. managing multiple layers of individual projects, people to logistically manage this, and still try to keep the country satisfied with their efforts.

This is pretty much the business of government. It’s standard. This is what civil servants and others do day in, day out. Only they are objectively not being enabled to do their best job because of this chaotic government.

No. This is not good enough. Piss poor preparedness, refusing to buy PPE because it’s too expensive, pig-headed recusal ti negotiate with Europe on ventilators, inconsistent strategy. I could go on.

It’s not an easy time. But Johnson and gang are dangerously out of their depth and people will die as a result.

Sad times.

*Also a huge surge in the amount of PPE and ventilators needed - everyone is in the same boat.

Not true. We had the advantages of time and being an island.

We had a crystal ball that others did not have.

We had letters from medics in Italy telling us what not to do. The arrogant leaders did it anyway.

The herd immunity plan was appalling. We are now following Italy’s trajectory. We had time and information to allow us to avoid this.

Ok, so I have a question as an ex Project Manager. How many people are actually dying every day of other causes? How many people just die every day anyway?They are testing people once they have passed on and they have CV in their system. Did they die with it in them or because of it.

Having said that TEST, TEST, TEST. Stop poncing about with meetings and reviews. Get the tests done NOW.

This will then ensure that we know what we are up against. There are so many people, the worried well etc who think they have had it, about to have it, have no symptons but have a 'feeling' they have it.

Agree op, I think people who have likely never had to lead anything a tiny fraction as complex are in there acting like know it alls and putting the boot in. When no one in their right mind would give them the job instead.

And it’s not just the death figures, it’s also how many lives they saved.

So doing nothing would have likely meant 500,000 people died. Let’s see where we are at the end, but from what I can see there is a shit load of people working their arses off and done need armchair experts spouting crap.