PwC-backed mental health platform was scrapped after $33m government trial launched without open tender
by Melissa Davey and Henry Belot from World news | The Guardian on (#6D3NG)
Experts call for transparency over Project Synergy grant awarded to Innowell, whose platform is no longer used by the federal health department
A PwC-backed startup received tens of millions of taxpayer dollars through a closed, non-competitive grant to develop a digital mental health platform, which was almost scrapped due to health workers finding it an administrative burden.
Policy experts and transparency watchdogs have raised alarm about the grant and called on the federal government to explain why the money was not allocated through an open and competitive process to ensure value for money.
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