VIP Lane: When the NHS Got Swung by Supercharged Prices
Picture this: the Department of Health and Social Care’s own paperwork reveals that the bite‑size “VIP Lane” contracts were paying suppliers a stunning 80% extra per unit compared to the market. And for some, the contracts hit a staggering four‑times the usual price—that’s not a typo, it’s a fact.
The Little Chunk of Waste
Out of all equipment bought through this shortcut, a full quarter of the money went sailing off into a pile of unusable gear. Last year’s Spotlight on Corruption audit found that the NHS had thrown away about £1 billion worth of PPE that didn’t fit the bill, accounting for 26% of the total spend in that category.
Inside the Spreadsheet
Good Law Project got hold of a massive spreadsheet full of contracts from 2020, with unit‑price details for almost every order. By comparing those numbers against standard routes, the trail of inflated pricing became clear. Most VIP companies signed at least one contract that was above the average price.
Meller Designs – The Fashion Firm with a Dark Tale
- Owner: David Meller, longtime Tory donor, who has pumped over £68,000 into the party and backed Michael Gove’s campaign in 2016.
- Contracts: Six deals worth £163 million.
- Price spikes: Three contracts at 1.2–2.2 times the market rate.
- Average medical gown price: £5.87; gowns from Meller were priced at £12.64.
- Unfit gear: Roughly £8.46 million of equipment had no place in an NHS setting.
- Profit jump: Made £13.2 million post‑tax profit for the year ending December 2020, up from a modest £143,000 the year before—an almost 9000% leap.
Ayanda Capital – The Mask Mystery
In April 2020, Andrew Mills, an adviser to Liz Truss’ Board of Trade, worked his way a deal for Ayanda Capital to supply masks. The firm had zero medical‑equipment experience but still snagged a contract worth over £252 million.
According to the data, those masks were sold at 1.8–2.6 times the market price. The Department of Health didn’t debate the numbers, but Ayanda Capital insists they’re wrong. £50 million of those masks were unusable, costing NHS the equivalent of more than £145 million.
The National Audit Office opened an inquiry that found the deal was granted without proper oversight, and no conflict of interest was registered on the standard form that should have flagged Mills’ ties to Ayanda.
Voices from the Front Lines
Susie Flintham’s father tragically died of COVID in March 2020 after catching the virus in hospital. As a spokesperson for the Covid‑19 Bereaved Families for Justice campaign, she declares:
“I saw firsthand the shortage of PPE while my dad was in hospital—my dad paid the price. These contracts show the government prioritized its own interests over public safety, all while misusing public funds.”
Good Law Project’s Executive Director, Jo Maugham, writes:
“Instead of welcoming legitimate suppliers, ministers were handing out contracts at four times the going rate, opening floodgates to duplicity. We’ve seen zero contrition at the COVID inquiry.”
She calls for an incoming administration to recover billions wasted and hold those profiting at the expense of ordinary people accountable.
Hope on the Horizon
Political commentator Carol Vorderman adds:
“Rachel Reeves, Shadow Chancellor, has pledged to appoint a Covid Corruption Commissioner if Labour comes to power. That’s a big win.”
The sentiment is clear: profiteering from the pandemic via the VIP Lane, coupled with government secrecy, has left many outraged. Works of creative crews—little 3D printers and volunteer efforts—were met with astonishing indifference. No apologies have surfaced, and the public refuses to let it slide.
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