Fair comment Geoff regarding the 'typical situation'. I suppose I did go a bit off topic regarding the original question. Sorry Huw.
My own opinion on outsourcing is that it is obviously finance driven. Yes, financial constraints are commonplace, but as Engineers/Techicians (speaking as someone working in the NHS), we have to resist the bean counters as much as practically possible. It is supposed to be a Health Service after all, not a money making exercise.
