I don't know what sector GP is in but there are plenty of programming jobs (maybe even most?) where the company (usually one where tech generally is incidental to their operations) really isn't in a position to offer a salary that's competitive enough to hire this way. I'd say most programming jobs at US hospitals are this way, for instance.

Which is why hospitals really shouldn't be writing software.

And why, as a developer, you want to be working for a software company where your work is generating revenue, not somewhere where you are a cost to be cut.

Whether software falls short of our aesthetic sensibilities doesn't have a bearing on whether it's wise for companies to be funding it.