The civil service has been under particular pressure over the past few years, with political, technological, and crisis-related changes, financial challenges, and the delivery of complex policies, exacerbated by the Covid Pandemic. The public sector generally copes well with political change and policy reorientation, but urgent high-risk and often unexpected challenges arise where the private sector can be better placed to provide solutions. The private sector is able to be far more flexible than the public sector, able to maximise available resources within 24 hours, innovate and identify and recruit necessary skills without bureaucratic obstacles.

So, what are the advantages of engaging the private sector;

  • Providing innovative solutions and expertise to solve a problem not just resources
  • Able to move immediately
  • Can be engaged and terminated with limited notice
  • Risk can be transferred to the contractor
  • Flexible use of the private sector can be cost saving
  • Ability to respond to peaks and troughs of demand flexibly with varying resource levels
  • Reduce political risk and reduce public concern

A couple of examples where GSA Global was engaged illustrates these points.

In 2021 the world was gripped by a public health emergency resulting in the UK opening quarantine hotels in February. The requirement was urgent and novel. Soon after the hotels were opened enormous risks were identified. The hotels were not providing hospitality but in effect used as a detention facility with security officers preventing movement from rooms. The residents were not the usual hotel guests as UK nationals only travelled from ‘red’ countries if they had to and there were thus, a disproportionate percentage of health issues, including mental health, individuals travelling for urgent medical treatment, funerals and end of life situations. Many were under considerable stress and behaved accordingly. Each hotel had security and healthcare contractors as well as hotel management. There were few hotel staff as services were not provided and food was delivered from external providers. Health security was critical to the programme but everyone, including the department, was on a steep learning curve. Stakeholders were often resistant including many health and local authorities who saw Covid hotels as a burden on resources.

The DHSC brought together a team from other government departments, but the hotels quickly attracted adverse national publicity, complaints and concern at ministerial level. The department had little visibility or control of the activity in the hotels. GSA were engaged after a week of operation. A very flexible contract was agreed within 48 hours and GSA staff trained and deployed in quarantine hotel in a further 48 hours. The staff used were all experienced ex police officers who had stakeholder, problem solving and risk management skills. They were supported by a management structure. GSA quickly put into place a complaints process, welfare system, engaged stakeholders, coordinated the activity of contractors and hotel management who were found not to be operating in a common interest and became the eyes and ears of the DHSC in the hotels. Problems were tackled at source. The department were provided with a detailed report on each hotel each day and exception applications allowed by the law identified and passed to the department for decision. Many serious incidents occurred and were managed. Adverse publicity was reduced, customer satisfaction improved, and risks were considerably reduced whilst health security improved. When the hotels closed the GSA role ceased immediately.

“As we start to demobilise, on behalf of the DHSC landside operational staff, I would like to formally acknowledge our thanks to all your colleagues at GSA who have contributed to the MQS programme. Liaison officers, thematic review team, control room, absconder’s unit and GSA management have all added significant value.” – Deputy Director, MQS

Operation Pitting, the evacuation of Afghanistan, started on 15 August 2021 and the military and MOD were engaged in an urgent high-risk live saving operation. RAF flights from Kabal were arriving with refugees at Brize Norton airfield, and subsequently other airports. Flights were departing without a completed passenger manifest, and little was known about the occupants. They had all gathered in huge panicking crowds at Kabal airport for a lengthy period, in 40 degrees of heat, trying to board a flight and many witnessed or injured by a suicide bombing at the airport where a 100 Afghans were killed. They were thus traumatised, exhausted and only had the clothes they stood up in and no luggage. GSA were engaged to assist and deployed airside to meet flights to manage the welfare of the passengers and arrange their transfer to quarantine hotels. Most flights needed an emergency ambulance on the tarmac, passengers arrived with illnesses, fresh gunshot wounds, other injuries and a baby was born in flight. There were many children among the numbers.

GSA staff immediately acquired over 1,000 teddy bears and each child arriving was given one, medical needs were attended to and smooth transition to the quarantine hotels organised. GSA staff arranged for clothing, nappies and essential items for the guests after their arrival. GSA staff were deployed within 12 hours of being asked to assist and worked through 24/7. Various risks were managed and adverse publicity regarding the reception avoided.

“I am writing to give you my heartfelt thanks for all the hard and excellent work you do as part of the Managed Quarantine Service”, said one individual working at the MQS. “And especially for the amazing work carried out in supporting the arrival of almost 14,000 evacuees from Afghanistan.” Director of Operations Managed Quarantine Services, Department of Health and Social Care

These are two examples where private sector intervention, in response to critical situations, brought the right skills, at the right time and assisted government manage high profile incidents. The private sector has always delivered services for government and in urgent circumstances, thoughtfully deployed, can add significant value by earlier deployment with skills and experience to minimise damaging outcomes.