Medical care is big business

Most of us know that the NHS should be about looking after people who are sick – not making money out of them But local NHS managers don t agree...

Most of us know that the NHS should be about looking after people who are sick - not making money out of them

But local NHS managers don't agree. Those in charge of the local primary care trust - overseeing GP services - are handing over as many GP practices as they can to big business.

In the last few years, GP surgeries in Allerton Road, Trowbridge Road and Tollgate Lodge have been privatised.

Now they want to privatise the practice in Stoke Newington Church Street, handing it over to a company called Mercury Health. Mercury made £19 million profit out of the NHS last year and has now been taken over by a company called Care UK, another private company that cashes in on the NHS.

Privatisation is about breaking up the NHS and handing over to big business shareholders the money that should be spent on patient care. This is also about driving down the standard of patient care. Normal GPs have to meet strict national standards. There is no requirement for these standards to be met by new big business providers. Local campaigners are already hearing reports from patients about worse care when GP services are privatised.

There's still time to stop this latest privatisation scheme. Send your concerns to: Laura Sharpe, Chief Executive, City & Hackney PCT, St Leonard's, Nuttall Street, N1 5LZ. If you want further information about the campaign to defend the NHS, contact: Keep Hackney NHS Public, c/o Staff Side Office, St Leonard's, Nuttall Street, N1 5LZ.

Bronwen Handyside, Hackney

Keep Our NHS Public campaign,

E5 (full address supplied).