Dido Harding defends test and trace and says expectations too high

[Northerner]

Dido Harding has confirmed she could apply to lead NHS England, and has defended her much-criticised record leading the Covid test-and-trace system, saying the main issue with the service was that “expectations were set too high”.

Covid testing in the UK was now “the envy of the world”, Harding told BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour.

In her first interview since stepping down from the test-and-trace job at the start of last month, Harding confirmed she was considering whether to apply to succeed Sir Simon Stevens as chief executive of NHS England.

“I’m thinking about it,” she said. “I have loved working in the NHS for the last three-and-a-half years. It’s been the privilege of my life.”

Harding, a Conservative peer, has chaired the board of NHS Improvement, an oversight arm of NHS England, since 2017, but the bulk of her career has been spent in areas such as supermarkets and telecoms, notably as head of the TalkTalk group.

Dido Harding defends test and trace and says expectations too high

Former TalkTalk boss confirms she is considering applying for top job at NHS England

www.theguardian.com

She should stick to singing

 

[mikeyB]

Expectations were set too high, were they? Well, we expected the system to work. It still doesn't. It was her chum Johnson who called it world beating.

And the top job in the NHS is gained by experience and a proven record, not "privilege". Dido Harding has failed in every single job she has had while being in charge.

 

[Drummer]

Dido Harding has confirmed she could apply to lead NHS England, and has defended her much-criticised record leading the Covid test-and-trace system, saying the main issue with the service was that “expectations were set too high”.

Covid testing in the UK was now “the envy of the world”, Harding told BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour.

In her first interview since stepping down from the test-and-trace job at the start of last month, Harding confirmed she was considering whether to apply to succeed Sir Simon Stevens as chief executive of NHS England.

“I’m thinking about it,” she said. “I have loved working in the NHS for the last three-and-a-half years. It’s been the privilege of my life.”

Harding, a Conservative peer, has chaired the board of NHS Improvement, an oversight arm of NHS England, since 2017, but the bulk of her career has been spent in areas such as supermarkets and telecoms, notably as head of the TalkTalk group.

Dido Harding defends test and trace and says expectations too high

Former TalkTalk boss confirms she is considering applying for top job at NHS England

www.theguardian.com

She should stick to singing

I am shocked at what the system cost - the money used to pay the people doing the work seems to have been charged at double that amount, the people were 'employed' by recruitment services, and apparently there was one firm doing the hiring, one doing the placement, (no doubt each took a fee) then the firms paying the wages changed every few weeks - and I know someone who had tax and insurance deducted and now can't get a tax refund up to April 5th as it seems that the money deducted did not end up where it ought to have gone.
They are also concerned about their National Insurance contributions, as they are getting close to retirement and suspect that there could be a problem with benefits and pension entitlement.
I had a run in with TalkTalk after being mis sold a package which was far more expensive than the one we were on, despite being told that it was cheaper. It took ages to sort out. Customer services just kept me on hold for hours, then cut me off.

 

[Abi]

When she was CEO of Talk talk I recollect there some problems with customers data being breached.
Going by this her performance with test and trace should have been exemplary
Hmmmmm....