Are lorry drivers (or lack of) having an effect on any of your regular supplies?

[Dan]

HGV driver shortage: UK firms embark on the long road to plug the gap

Logistics sector ups its recruitment and training effort but big obstacles lie ahead

www.theguardian.com

Food, beer, toys, medical kit. Why is Britain running out of everything?

Poor pay and conditions for HGV drivers and the loss of many thousands of EU workers are plunging the UKs supply chain into crisis

www.theguardian.com

Minister urges firms to invest in UK-based workers in HGV driver shortage

Business secretary reported as saying foreign labour only offers ‘temporary solution’ as companies face supply chain crisis

www.theguardian.com

I keep reading news, hearing on radio and seeing on telly that the lack of lorry drivers is having more and more of an impact on our daily lives and wont stop any time soon. I was wondering if any of you guys and gals have felt this with suppliers running out of anything you use regularly?

Heard anything through the grapevine?

Started to stock up on basic things you use often to help get around this over Christmas etc?

 

[nicebutdim]

The problem with the NHS is that it thinks it is free for allcomers from around the world, actually charging health tourists for treatment is an alien concept to some working in the NHS, most other countries in the world if you are lucky you might get basic treatment until you can prove that you can pay but in the UK they walk in get treated and when it comes to payment they shrug their shoulders and walk out and fly home
I wonder how many millions that costs the NHS

There is a significant cost to this but, having once seen the numbers (which I can no longer remember), it's much less than one might imagine and far from the greatest drain on NHS resources. Problem with spending on health is that no one ever seems to be accountable and services/supplies are tendered at eye watering rates.

 

[telectrix]

friend of mine used to be a hospital porter. one day he saw 2 nursed with 10 bin bags labelled incinerate waste, taking them to the incinerator.out of curiosity, he asked what was in the bags. the reply was, they've sent us all these new dressings, gowns , and equipment. we got no storage space for them, .

 

[FatAlan]

Got to agree the GP contract less hours and much more pay, the reason why it has been so difficult to get a GP appointment for over a decade

You forgot to include Brown's sale of the gold reserve when the market had fallen to it's lowest in years

Might that also be down to a lack of GP’s?
Appreciate that there is a total lack of opposition at the moment but is the general consensus that 10 years down the line the Tories are doing a good job?

 

[UNG]

There is a significant cost to this but, having once seen the numbers (which I can no longer remember), it's much less than one might imagine and far from the greatest drain on NHS resources. Problem with spending on health is that no one ever seems to be accountable and services/supplies are tendered at eye watering rates.

From what I've seen all the numbers they have are not by their own admission that accurate. I remember a hospital programme a few years ago that highlighted health tourism 1 patient ran up a £600k bill and another £300k this hospital over the course of a month the total was pushing towards £2m that they knew of mainly because of the level of treatment needed creating large bills the guy chasing payments had a pile of paperwork but on his own was struggling to recover even a small fraction of what was owed

 

[Zerax]

Agree with a lot of what you say. I do believe that management consultants have grown fat on ripping off the public sector.

You really do not understand what's going on do you...

It might help if you try to park your personal prejudices to one side... you might then have an outside chance of seeing reality.

I know several 'management consultants' who have worked in the public sector, so have knowledge of this area. The reason why they are employed is NOT so that their recommendations are heeded... it's so that they department concerned can say that they have tried to reform. However, the notion that the public sector can be reformed is pure utopia !! They are beset by a culture that has established itself over generations... it won't be changing any time soon !

I know of a recent project for part of the NHS... if the changes that were recommended were implemented, there would be a saving of several million pounds per year... the fee for this piece of work was a few tens of thousands of pounds. Of course, the changes never happened. The NHS, like most of the public sector is un-reformable.

So... blaming 'management consultants' is simply wrong... I suggest you talk to a few of them first, before spouting nonsense !!

 

[Zerax]

From what I've seen all the numbers they have are not by their own admission that accurate. I remember a hospital programme a few years ago that highlighted health tourism 1 patient ran up a £600k bill and another £300k this hospital over the course of a month the total was pushing towards £2m that they knew of mainly because of the level of treatment needed creating large bills the guy chasing payments had a pile of paperwork but on his own was struggling to recover even a small fraction of what was owed

I think it's Hillingdon Hospital in West London that tops the bill for health tourism... being the closest hospital to Heathrow Airport. There was a documentary on a few years ago... it's normal practice for Nigerians (and others) to fly to the UK specifically for difficult childbirths... ones that would cost them money back in Nigeria.

They are well schooled in how the system works... the magic phrase is "I intend to make the UK my permanent home"... once uttered, it's all free !!

I watched one of those Emergency Hospital programmes the other week... there was a Chinese girl in A&E who was knocked off her bicycle I think. In broken English, she kept trying to tell the staff that she had insurance and they should look in her bag for it... but they all had genuine confusion as to why she was talking about insurance... to them it was an anathema ! It's all "free" in the UK !! Come in... everyone... enjoy a health service paid for by the hardworking tax payer !!

 

[Zerax]

Labour haven’t been looking out for their supposed core voter (the labouring person), the normal working person, for decades now.

The problem for the Labour Party... is that their politics is based around the old class system of Working Class, Middle Class and Upper Class. But this is woefully out of date and doesn't really apply in the modern society. Whilst you could still divide up society into 'classes' if you wanted (though not sure why you'd want to), they are not the groups of old.

 

[telectrix]

back on topic. supplies:
still got Theakstons in local offy. no problems here.

 

[Zerax]

So which civil servants have a cushy life then Tel? All I see is under investment, antiquated IT systems, lack of staff and those that are left are trying to manage mpossible workloads made even worse by increased bureaucracy imposed by politicians due to the latest media outcry over the latest high profile public service cock up most likely caused by lack of resources. Still, work a 12 hr shirt in A&E sounds pretty cushy.

Yet another example of your personal prejudices clouding reality !!

There is MASSIVE financial investment in the state sector... the problem is that the monies are squandered.

Most government IT systems that I have the misfortune to use are very very poor... they will have been purchased at the highest price too !!

Most of the state sector (and that includes the NHS and all Quangos) are largely "job clubs".

It's true that politicians pander to the left wing media... and this needs to stop !!

 

[FatAlan]

That’s another example of personal prejudices. BBC is now government controlled and hardly mentions the word Brexit. The Sun, Express & Mail all peddle the right wing agenda and stir up Xenophobic hatred against Johnny foreigner coming over hear and stealing our jobs or anything that doesn’t hark back to the great days of the British Empire. Is it the public sectors fault that it is ripped off by the private sector? It’s one big gravy train done in collusion with those in control of the purse strings and their mates in the private sector.

 

[FatAlan]

The problem for the Labour Party... is that their politics is based around the old class system of Working Class, Middle Class and Upper Class. But this is woefully out of date and doesn't really apply in the modern society. Whilst you could still divide up society into 'classes' if you wanted (though not sure why you'd want to), they are not the groups of old.

Agree with that 100%?

 

[telectrix]

That’s another example of personal prejudices. BBC is now government controlled and hardly mentions the word Brexit. The Sun, Express & Mail all peddle the right wing agenda and stir up Xenophobic hatred against Johnny foreigner coming over hear and stealing our jobs or anything that doesn’t hark back to the great days of the British Empire. Is it the public sectors fault that it is ripped off by the private sector? It’s one big gravy train done in collusion with those in control of the purse strings and their mates in the private sector.

the only goverment control of the BBC is forcing us to pay a licence fee for (some) things we don't want to watch. at least with sky, although a rip off, you only pay if you want it, and nobody forces you to pay.

 

[Zerax]

BBC is now government controlled

I'm starting to think that you're just winding us all up !

The BBC is not controlled by the current government, by previous governments, maybe... it's stuff full of lefties !!! For example, until recently, James Purnell was the Director of Strategy... he's an ex Labour front bencher !! You really need to do more research before posting your political views...

 

[UNG]

The problem for the Labour Party... is that their politics is based around the old class system of Working Class, Middle Class and Upper Class. But this is woefully out of date and doesn't really apply in the modern society. Whilst you could still divide up society into 'classes' if you wanted (though not sure why you'd want to), they are not the groups of old.

The coverage of the Labour party conference was going back a bit in time with one delegate referring to blue and white collar workers

 

[FatAlan]

I think it's Hillingdon Hospital in West London that tops the bill for health tourism... being the closest hospital to Heathrow Airport. There was a documentary on a few years ago... it's normal practice for Nigerians (and others) to fly to the UK specifically for difficult childbirths... ones that would cost them money back in Nigeria.

They are well schooled in how the system works... the magic phrase is "I intend to make the UK my permanent home"... once uttered, it's all free !!

I watched one of those Emergency Hospital programmes the other week... there was a Chinese girl in A&E who was knocked off her bicycle I think. In broken English, she kept trying to tell the staff that she had insurance and they should look in her bag for it... but they all had genuine confusion as to why she was talking about insurance... to them it was an anathema ! It's all "free" in the UK !! Come in... everyone... enjoy a health service paid for by the hardworking tax payer !!

I understand that in 2019 the Tories stated that people on a work, study or family visa pay at £400 surcharge

I'm starting to think that you're just winding us all up !

The BBC is not controlled by the current government, by previous governments, maybe... it's stuff full of lefties !!! For example, until recently, James Purnell was the Director of Strategy... he's an ex Labour front bencher !! You really need to do more research before posting your political views...

Boris Johnson appoints £160k a year £400k Tory donor Richard Sharp as chairman. Funnily enough he used to be Rich Sunak's boss at Goldman Sachs. Also worked with Johnson when he was Mayor. Specifically appointed to overcome the BBC's perceived left wing bias. Robbie Gibb avowed Brexiteer with close ties to Conservatives appointed to BBC board. Tim Davie BBC DG appointed 2020 previously ran for the Tories in local elections. That's a few for starters!