Companies/Public Bodies don't Plan to fail, they fail to plan

Only two days after my last critical post, we have yet-another example of the incompetence of the Cardiff & Vale University \Health Board, as illustrated in the following letter to the Echo.  Can anyone imagine what the site will be like if the new Mental Hospital/Shopping Plaza is ever built ?

“Anything Goes at Hospital Car Park”

 This anonymous letter in today's Echo says exactly what all users of Llandough hospital would like to say. I have the same problems twice a week, but do not park illegally – so far.

I am astounded by the ‘Executive Director of Planning’s’ reply, especially as the parking problems are due entirely to the failure of the Cardiff & Vale University Health Board’s failure to provide adequate parking since the alterations began. They have no excuses, as they have had years to plan ahead, and even the most naive of us have a right to expect there to be proper provision for parking made long before any building work began. As a an experienced businessman I know that “No one plans to fail – they fail to plan” as is exemplified at Llandough.

  As a patient myself, who is incapable of walking uphill, I am wondering just how long the new Minister will wait before changing this incompetent Health Board, for qualified managers in Procurement and Project Management. Unfortunately, anyone studying the ‘Plans’ for the new Mental Health Hospital will see that the financial planning is equally non-compliant with any established or accepted commercial procedures. This further reduces my confidence in this inept Health Board to manage our public funds. If they cannot manage a multi-million pound building project, how can we have any confidence in their ability to manage the £1bn annual budget for the provision of our basic health services ?

Yours faithfully

Robin Williams – Independent Patient Advocate ( and a patient )