The global outsourcing giant Serco has lost its grasp on yet another contract – this time work sterilising medical equipment at the Fiona Stanley hospital in Perth, Australia.
The health minister for Western Australia stripped this responsibility from Serco after ‘blood and tissue’ was found on equipment that Serco personnel had allegedly already sterilised. Serco will retain the bulk of its £850m, 10-year contract with the hospital, providing non-clinical services. However, there is to be a further review into clinical healthcare at the hospital at a later date.
This news comes after a terrible 2014 for Serco where the company saw numerous contract scandals, including the failure of a £285 million prisoner-transfer contract with the UK government.
In March 2015, Serco CEO Rupert Soames was quoted saying: “There is a real sense that, having confessed our sins and in taking the punishment, we are now ready to start on the path to recovery.” Serco since announced its plans to sell off a number of BPO operations.
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