NHS privatisation fears deepen over £1bn deal

[oldironside]

The NHS is embarking on its single biggest outsourcing of services so far by inviting bids for a contract that will be worth between £700m and £1.1bn.

The value of the deal, to provide health services including end-of-life care for older people in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, far outstrips the previous record of £450m, where Virgin Care now provides a range of NHS services across Surrey.

The size of the contract on offer has sparked interest from a large number of private firms and claims that the privatisation of the NHS is increasing in pace. Virgin is believed to be sizing up a bid, as is another health provider, Circle, which operates the only privately run NHS hospital in the UK – Hinchingbrooke, Cambridgeshire – and Serco, which has won contracts to provide several public services and was recently castigated by MPs over major flaws in its provision of out-of-hours GP services in Cornwall.

The move is the latest example of how under the coalition growing numbers of NHS services are being put out to tender, and usually won by private operators.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/jul/26/nhs-privatisation-fears-deepen-deal

This government has absolutley no mandate to do this. When are the British people going to stand up for themselves?

[non sociopath skin]

1. When it's too late. As usual.

The Skin

[Laelth]

2. This is so stupid.

The UK has been experimenting with privatizing many of its public works since Thatcher. Nearly every one of those experiments has failed in the past and cost taxpayers a bundle to fix.

And the Tories want to try it again--this time with the superb and popular NHS?

That's just stupid, imo.

-Laelth

[LeftishBrit]

3. When enough people realize what's happening.

Part of the problem is that, like many serious illnesses, this did not start clearly and suddenly, but slowly and insidiously. Privatization of health services has gone on since the last Tory government; was increased rather than reduced under Blair; and is now proceeding to a frightening degree. Legal but highly immoral forms of bribery and corruption are no doubt playing a big part, with politicians in cahoots with private health firms.

I think I mentioned before that the MP, who currently un-represents me, got elected in part by sending out leaflets about how only a Tory government could prevent cuts in the NHS. HUMPH!

http://www.keepournhspublic.com/index.php

[TheMastersNemesis]

4. Our GOP And Their Tories Must Have Common Support Of The Crotch Brothers.