For several weeks now someone (he’s only doing his job, so I will not name him) from the PR company [hurts-your-eyes site alert] used by Cirrus and CarelineUK has been prodding me by email to make a news story of the press release that these companies have now been appointed as suppliers on the Northern Housing Consortium’s national assisted living framework. Well, who am I to resist their prods, even though I can’t see the good news here? Framework agreements, while apparently good for the suppliers and the purchasers who are in the club, subvert the market by fogging up the landscape and tilting the ‘level’ playing field. Ultimately, the taxpayer loses from such cosy arrangements.
UPDATE 2 Dec 2011: Tunstall continues to be on the NHC Framework. And, to balance the link above, Tunstall’s PR company.