PPE MedPro hits £122m DHSC court case, blaming government “chaos” on Covid purchases
The company, PPE MedPro, a company linked to conservative peer Michelle Mone, launched a strong defense in its 122 million high court battle with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) (DHSC), accusing the government of accusing “buyer remorse” and “chaotic and ill-management” in the early stages of Covid-19 Pandemic.
In its opening remarks, PPE Medpro claimed that the government unfairly targeted the company’s mistakes that shifted its attention to its own during the emergency procurement madness. The company’s legal team believes that DHSC approved the surgical gowns it offers, and although they were fully aware that they did not carry the CE mark of the Notification Agency (NB) figure, which was usually based on technical requirements set forth in the Medical Equipment Regulation, it was abandoned under the emergency rules at the time.
The National Defense Hub is about the statement that PPE Medpro offers gowns under what is called “equivalent technology solutions”, a route the UK government explicitly allowed during the pandemic. The company said DHSC’s technical assurance team signed on this basis and never stated that a formal devaluation or noticed physical certification is required before the contract is approved.
“The dress has been technically approved!” A DHSC official read an email to PPE MEDPRO at the time, expressing that the department agreed. The company believes this confirms the technical and regulatory basis of the government’s acceptance of the order. PPE Medpro also asserted that the dress packaging has been clearly marked, DHSC or its logistics agent Uniserve, had the opportunity to check the goods when collecting in China, but did not do so.
The government claims the dress is not suitable for use, citing later tests in the UK. But PPE MedPro treats these results as irrelevant, believing that these tests were conducted on expired or poorly stored items long after delivery, which is contaminated with the sample. The company added that independent experts unanimously agreed that the abnormal combination of microorganisms found in tested gowns pointing to contamination during storage and transportation rather than during manufacturing.
PPE MedPro claims in a stunning allegation that it has been selected hundreds of Covid suppliers, possibly due to the high-profile contacts of its supporters and their perceptions of the financial ability to repay funds. The company also pointed to a wider “pressure campaign” that alleged civil cases paralleled the “never ending” National Crime Agency investigation, and no charges have been filed.
“DHSC attempts to rewrite the rules of participation retrospectively,” the submission said. “This is a textbook where the government tries to return money from a regretful contract, even though it knows exactly what it is buying.”
The law ranked about £122 million for orders for sterile surgical gowns delivered in 2020. The DHSC rejected the dress a few months later, citing concerns about CE marking and infertility, although they passed their technical assurance process through their technical assurance process and cleared the contract through its internal approval committee, including that of David Williams, the then-civil servant.
The outcome of the case may have a profound impact on procurement disputes in the pandemic era and on the use of emergency powers in the future. As billions of pounds of PPE remained unused, the trial was seen as a leader in accountability.
The case continues.
