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Baroness Mone’s company, PPE Medpro, has been instructed by the court to pay a hefty sum of £122 million due to a breach of contract in the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Department of Health and Social Care took legal action against PPE Medpro, alleging that the medical gowns supplied did not meet the necessary healthcare standards. Despite the company’s claim that its surgical gowns used by NHS workers had undergone a validated sterilisation process, the High Court ruled otherwise.
Amid the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020, the demand for PPE surged as hospitals faced shortages of essential protective gear. PPE Medpro, established by a consortium led by Doug Barrowman, the husband of Baroness Mone, secured a government contract to supply masks through a VIP lane recommendation from Baroness Mone. Subsequently, the government ordered 25 million sterile gowns from Medpro, which later failed to meet contractual compliance upon inspection, prompting legal action.
The court deliberated that Medpro failed to demonstrate a validated sterilisation process for the gowns as required by the contract. Despite the company’s arguments that the gowns could still be used by the NHS or sold to third parties outside the EU, the ruling emphasized the lack of essential markings and sterility, which rendered the gowns non-compliant. Consequently, Medpro was ordered to pay substantial damages to the government by a specified deadline, given the company’s appointment of administrators just prior to the court’s decision.
Health Minister Kinnock expressed determination about recovering the £122 million owed to the government, stating their resolve backed by legal measures. In response, Baroness Mone criticized the ruling as an “Establishment win” and questioned the fairness of the decision. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Mr. Barrowman denounced the court judgment as unjust, claiming that Medpro had demonstrated the sterility of the gowns during the trial. Despite their absence during the court proceedings, both Baroness Mone and Mr. Barrowman are embroiled in the aftermath of the court ruling, with an ongoing investigation by the National Crime Agency into potential criminal offenses related to Medpro’s PPE procurement practices
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