Comments on: Joe’s View: Educated fools, marshmallows and the NHS Covid tracing app

By: Joe mcdonald

Joe mcdonald — Sat, 14 Nov 2020 11:57:40 +0000

In reply to Richard Sarson. Too kind , Richard. There are some parallels with NPFIT, when your project hits £12 billion only the bravest politicians will admit it failed. Especially when you've surrounded yourself with yes men. Doomed unless the tory party dump Boris. Hopefully Cummings" departure is just the start of tory grandees operation to inject some grown ups. I'd take John Major and Tony Blair in a government of national unity.

By: Richard Sarson

Richard Sarson — Thu, 12 Nov 2020 17:28:58 +0000

Joe for president! The first sensible strategic overview I have seen of the failures behind test’ntrace. The reason he is so good is that he was involved in the National Programme for IT, and the lessons have clearly been etched on his heart – both the mistakes made by Richard Granger and the wilful obstruction put up by the Trusts.
A quick replacement of Dido by Joe is our country’s only hope.

By: Joseph Mcdonald

Joseph Mcdonald — Sun, 08 Nov 2020 20:16:26 +0000

In reply to Clive. Thanks Dave, I agree its a problem that the app only works on the latest kit and in a world where the 12 billion NPfIT budget has become small change, surely we could upgrade peoples hardware.....

By: Dave Kelsall

Dave Kelsall — Fri, 06 Nov 2020 13:51:54 +0000

Insightful and funny … typical Joe. My Grandad had a similar anecdote from WW2 – obviously an enduring military tradition with Darwinian overtones.
For many people the app sadly fails the second U – we cannot use it without replacing our 5 year old i-Phones.
Businesses can be fined for not displaying a QR code (£1,000 first offence £4,000 for repeat offenders) but this is obviously not being enforced).
I suspect our PM would be in a third group – those who ate the marshmallow and then demanded the other two arguing for so long that the researcher gave in under pressure!
On a related note, Serco’s Track and Trace service procured without competitive tendering has reportedly so far cost £12bn in under a year … NPfIT procured in line with OJEU regulations cost around the same amount but ran for well over 5 years.
#StaySafe … us over-60s are now classed as vulnerable this time around!

By: Clive

Clive — Sun, 01 Nov 2020 21:17:15 +0000

Very entertaining.

By: Rhidian Bramley

Rhidian Bramley — Sun, 01 Nov 2020 08:35:55 +0000

Nice analogy Joe. It got me thinking that we are all being subject to a grand marshmallow test as we go back into lockdown. Avoid the temptation to go out and socialise now and you will be rewarded later, in time for Christmas.

A follow up study at Rochester showed that behaviour was linked to trust in the instructor. Those where a promise had been broken before were less likely to comply with the instruction. This analogy just keeps on giving…

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 30 Oct 2020 21:13:20 +0000

In reply to Andrew Haw. Indeed so, a brilliant article. We need more 2 marshmallow decision making people like Joe. Depression is creeping in amid such surreal decision making. Perhaps Marcus Rashford would help market NHS Covid App QR code on his own & other t-shirts?

By: Andrew Haw

Andrew Haw — Fri, 30 Oct 2020 16:38:20 +0000

Joe, I don’t know you are not in the Cabinet or at least NHSX; your ideas and common sense are uplifting and have made me smile on this gloomy Friday!