FURY OVER VAXPAYERS’ £2M PAYOUT
➤ Public money deal for jab ‘consultants’ ➤ Row as 5k health staff get vaccine
An accountancy firm has been handed more than £ 2million to act as “consultants” on the Scottish Government’s Covid-19 vaccination programme.
The taxpayers’ money was awarded to KPMG in September – three months before the first jab was available.
Contract documents reveal the
multi-national firm secured the deal without any other bids being considered.
The job description states it is for “extended flu and Covid vaccination programme management and advisory services”.
Scottish Labour’s Neil Findlay said: “This is extraordinary – we have the Scottish Government handing over millions to a private sector organisation to tell them how to roll out the vaccine.
“Do they not trust civil servants or the NHS to work out how to do this?”
Green MSP Mark Ruskell questioned whether the money was being well spent, adding: “It might have been better for the Government to empower our local healthcare providers rather than splash millions on external consultants.”
Scottish Conservative health spokesman Donald Cameron demanded more transparency.
He said: “The vaccine roll-out is giving people hope right now and they won’t begrudge extra resources being brought in from the private sector. The problem is that the SNP and First Minister are failing to be upfront about these contracts.”
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman announced the roll-out of the first vaccines in early December.
The NHS National Services Scotland contract was handed to KPMG without “prior publication of a call for competition” due to the “extreme urgency” of the pandemic. A notice of the contract was posted on the Scottish Government’s website last week.
The Sunday Mail previously revealed how another £640,000 was handed to KPMG for work drawing up plans for vaccinations in August – when flu jabs were being rolled out. The flu vaccine delivery was criticised after some elderly patients were only told of appointments after they were scheduled to attend.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Given the scale of the unprecedented demand on health services and the need to run both the flu and Covid vaccination programme, KPMG were contracteded to provide administrative supportrt to NHS and government officials leadingeading on planning and delivery. .
“A number of contractsacts were awarded on a ‘direct’ basis due to extreme urgency. NHSS National Services Scotland hass since transitioned to other ‘open’ tender procedures ures whenever possible.
“All procurement has as been transparent and in line with legislation.”
KPMG declined to comment.