News
"COMMERCIAL THREAT" TO HACKNEY HEALTH SERVICE
2008-04-22 21:49:19 Hackney Liberal Democrats are challenging local NHS Primary Care Trusts to explain why they are asking commercial companies to bid for contracts to provide out-of-hours cover for GP services.
“We are concerned that profit-orientated companies could be used to supply these services, and that commercial interests will threaten patients' interests,” says Lib Dem spokesperson Meral Ece.
“Camidoc – which is a co-operative of local GPs – has run our out-of-hours service for the last 12 years and this is the model that most people prefer and have confidence in.
“So why are these bureaucrats interfering?” asks Meral Ece, Liberal Democrat candidate for Hackney in next month's GLA elections. “We have written to the PCTs demanding an answer to that question.
“This is yet another example of creeping privatisation of the NHS. Commercial pressures could threaten the quality of service to patients and the conditions of employment for local health workers. We are standing up for local people against the bureaucrats.”
PCTs for City and Hackney, Islington, Camden and Haringey have combined to commission a service for North London.
“That is a huge area,” says another Hackney Liberal Democrat campaigner, Reuben Thompson. “They say they want to make sure the service can respond to local needs, but there are so many different communities and cultures in these boroughs – how are they going to deliver?
“And how are local people going to hold them to account? We want to get rid of over-bearing central control and set up genuine local decision-making in the Health Service so that local priorities can be addressed.”
Tags:
health, consultation, hospital, privatisation
