I could not sit and allow some of the issues, mostly raised by Slip and Slide to go unchallenged. I do not, nor never have worked for NATS but I have worked at both HMP West Drayton and The English Riviera!
There is no problem with the safety culture within NATS. Many of the managers are themselves controllers, with many decades of safety culture imprinted on their brains. The Safety Management system within NATS is very mature and I would argue, cutting edge. There is no culture of covering things up, reports are filed when required and investigated completely. There are automatic systems to improve safety and monitor safety performance and NATS are proactive on developing future tools to further advance the safe and efficient operation of their business. It would make no sense for them to do otherwise, as the implications of a major incident are unthinkable. The Safety Culture is entirely in tune and in concert with other ANSPs and the CAA.
There are indeed targets and NATS recently had it's own "Destinations" targets programme. Safety of the operation was at the TOP...the top 5 IIRC.
I think what has irritated most NATS posters on here, is that the release to the media, of what was a safety survey was not considered, it was uncontrolled and all it has done, is to fuel speculation and feed media frenzy. The release to the BBC has done NOTHING to improve safety.
I do not know the controller concerned, but I do know many others and I share their feelings. There was, is and will always be, a very good system to highlight issues to management and get things resolved. Regardless of what pressures S&M thinks that NATS controllers are under, the facts are that they do a cracking job, to the best of their ability and always have safety at the forefront of their mind. If things get a little busy, they have many tools at their disposal to deal with those situations. Even computer mouse failure rates are recorded and monitored.
I can understand why Mr Shoesmith is interested....he wants a story and what better one than to talk about danger to the travelling public...good for ratings and keeps him in a job/bonus and he can always argue the case that he is doing the public a favour with his investigative journalism. I cannot understand however, what G&T's beef is?
I speak with FIRST HAND knowledge of the NATS operation.