PRESS RELEASE

June 4th, 2009

E-bidding is ‘dead’, says MSP

Greenock and Inverclyde MSP Duncan McNeil has pronounced the controversial practice of ‘e-bidding’ for homecare providers as ‘dead’ this week.

The MSP led an inquiry into the e-procurement of homecare services that led to serious failures in elderly care provision, as exposed by a BBC Panorama programme.

Undercover reporters from the BBC filmed three homecare providers and revealed them rushing between appointments, with some being missed entirely.

In one filmed incident in South Lanarkshire, the cameras showed an elderly client receiving a bed bath while his carer talked on the phone.

The procurement method of selling to the lowest bidder through ‘reverse e-auctions’ has been heavily criticised by trade unions and elderly campaigners for compromising standards to cut costs.

After watching the television expose, two months ago, Mr McNeil called for an inquiry into the negligence.

And yesterday the practice of e-bidding came to an end after local authority bosses agreed not to use it again.

Speaking after the first day of the inquiry by the Local Government Committee, Mr McNeil said: “This practice of trading care services like cheap jewellery is morally repugnant.

“It had to be investigated and it turned out it didn’t stand up to the scrutiny of just one committee meeting.

“So I am relieved that we have seen the death of e-auctions for social care already and good riddance to it.

“I know that many people back in Inverclyde were shocked at the treatment of the elderly people in the programme when it aired so I am pleased to be able to report back to them this positive step.”

ENDS