Income Of Any Luck
  • Politics
  • Tech News
  • Stock
  • Business
  • Editor’s Pick
BusinessEditor's Pick

DHSC accused of wasting PPE Medpro gowns as experts reveal missed £85m resale opportunity

by June 30, 2025
June 30, 2025
The second day of the £122 million High Court showdown between PPE Medpro and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) saw intense cross-examination of two key civil servants, exposing contradictions, confusion, and admissions of oversight within the government’s emergency PPE procurement process.

The ninth day of the ongoing High Court trial between PPE Medpro and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) turned attention to the government’s handling of surplus PPE stock—specifically, why no effort was made to repurpose or sell the £122 million-worth of gowns supplied by PPE Medpro.

Two expert witnesses, Andrew New for the DHSC and Igor Popovic for PPE Medpro, gave conflicting views on what could—and should—have been done with the gowns once delivered.

Andrew New, chief executive of Supply Chain Coordination Limited (SCCL), the body tasked with managing PPE distribution during the pandemic, confirmed that by December 2020, the UK government held an excess of approximately 500 weeks’—or nearly 10 years’—worth of surgical gowns.

“That is correct,” New admitted, when asked whether the stockpile reached half a millennium of weekly demand.

Despite this oversupply, New confirmed that no effort had been made to repurpose or resell the PPE Medpro gowns, which were delivered to government agents in 2020. He argued that repackaging and relabelling would have been impractical and uneconomic, given the broader logistical challenges faced during the pandemic.

“It’s not just a question of would you pay the money,” he said. “Would you divert management attention to that activity whilst managing other complex tasks?”

Pressed further by PPE Medpro’s counsel Ashley Cukier, New conceded that any third-party buyer would require access to documentation on the product’s specifications and storage history. Yet DHSC has failed to disclose any such information in court — a core issue raised repeatedly throughout the trial.

“If I was buying the product… I would expect to be able to see those records if I needed it,” New acknowledged.

Economist and former NHS adviser Igor Popovic, appearing for PPE Medpro, laid out a very different scenario. In his expert valuation report, Popovic concluded that the gowns could have been sold on the UK market as non-sterile surgical gowns, even if they were not compliant with sterility standards.

After accounting for repackaging and relabelling costs, he estimated the net resale value at £85.8 million.

“Subtracting the cost of repackaging and relabelling (£16,250,130)… I arrive at the net value point estimate in this scenario of £85,816,820,” his report stated.

Popovic also criticised the government for waiting until 2022 to begin selling off excess PPE, by which point prices and demand had plummeted. He noted that earlier resale attempts—during periods of higher demand—could have recouped significantly more taxpayer money.

“It is not clear to me why the Claimant only began selling off excess stock… in 2022,” he wrote. “When the demand and price for PPE were significantly reduced, rather than at a time of high demand.”

The testimony builds on PPE Medpro’s broader argument that the DHSC failed to mitigate its own losses. Despite rejecting the gowns, the government made no attempt to assess their usability in non-sterile settings, explore resale options, or retrieve documentation to facilitate any onward use — all actions that might have reduced the alleged financial exposure.

That failure, PPE Medpro contends, not only undermines the government’s breach of contract claim but also points to a wider pattern of poor inventory management and missed opportunities to recover public funds.

As the High Court trial moves into its final stages, questions around the government’s decision-making, transparency, and post-delivery handling of PPE Medpro’s gowns continue to dominate proceedings.

The central question remains: was this a breach of contract by a supplier — or a failure of oversight by the state?

Read more:
DHSC accused of wasting PPE Medpro gowns as experts reveal missed £85m resale opportunity

previous post
New Details on Tillis’ Decision to Retire Emerges
next post
Here We Go: After Announcing He Won’t Seek Reelection, RINO Don Bacon Signals He is a ‘No’ Vote on Big Beautiful Bill

You may also like

UK food prices rise as hot weather slashes...

July 1, 2025

Tech giants propose under-skin tracking and AI policing...

July 1, 2025

Industry chiefs sound alarm over ‘horrific’ packaging tax...

July 1, 2025

Crown Estate matches record profits on windfarm windfall...

July 1, 2025

Reeves to cut cash ISA allowance in push...

July 1, 2025

Confidence in short supply among bosses as tax...

July 1, 2025

Is This Rally Sustainable? You Better Bet Your...

June 30, 2025

Pullbacks & Reversals: Stocks Setting Up for Big...

June 30, 2025

Barclays launches appeal over motor finance commission ruling

June 30, 2025

The Best Five Sectors, #25

June 30, 2025
Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get Premium Articles For Free


Your information is secure and your privacy is protected. By opting in you agree to receive emails from us. Remember that you can opt-out any time, we hate spam too!

    Stay updated with the latest news, exclusive offers, and special promotions. Sign up now and be the first to know! As a member, you'll receive curated content, insider tips, and invitations to exclusive events. Don't miss out on being part of something special.


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • Is This Rally Sustainable? You Better Bet Your Bullish Sweet Dollar It Is!

      June 30, 2025
    • Pullbacks & Reversals: Stocks Setting Up for Big Moves!

      June 30, 2025
    • The Best Five Sectors, #25

      June 30, 2025
    • Week Ahead: As NIFTY Breaks Out, Change Of Leadership Likely To Keep The Index Moving

      June 28, 2025
    • 3 Stock Setups for the Second Half of 2025

      June 27, 2025
    • About us
    • Contact us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Copyright © 2025 IncomeOfAnyLuck.com All Rights Reserved.

    Income Of Any Luck
    • Politics
    • Tech News
    • Stock
    • Business
    • Editor’s Pick