The picture which emerges is an English procurement system which has major issues at both national and local level
Not all these problems began during this crisis, some seeds sown a v long time ago
This is what's happening
We need to remember that those which do don't have problems in everything
and that the govt is right there is a huge demand surge
That said...
It's a problem at the both national and local level
The situ in England doubtless made worse by Lansley reforms of 2012 Trusts now a patchwork of sovereign bodies.
But manufacturers haven't had much luck there either
Some talk of a Whitehall system which is opaque and unresponsive
He tried govt email, didn't hear back
Tried again, didn't hear back
Got in touch with his MP, he put him in touch with DHSC directly
Nothing
In the end it was too late, contract went abroad
They're keen to land English orders but responsiveness slower from UK govt
Only hearing from UK govt now, weeks after starting Welsh supplies
Interestingly some I spoke to have come to dislike the talk of them as "heroes/angels" for this reason
Worse, I've been told that some care home managers are telling staff not to use PPE because it "interferes" with their duties/they want to stockpile.