The privatisation of the NHS takes a big step forward with
Hinchingbrooke Hospital private company take-over
10 November 2011
The ‘privatisation of the NHS’ agenda has taken a giant leap
forward with the news that private company Circle is taking over
Hinchingbrooke Hospital, near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.
Unite, the largest union in the country, said that ‘flesh was
being put on the bones’ of the privatisation of the NHS, which has
always been the intention of the coalition since it came to power
in May 2010.
Circle, which is part-listed on the Stock Exchange, will take
over the running of the hospital in February 2012.
Unite national officer for health Rachael Maskell said: ”For the
last 18 months, the government has been actively gearing up to
privatise the NHS – and now at the first opportunity it has done
so. It is putting the flesh on the privatisation bones.
”Local people in the Huntingdon area will be horrified that
their local, acute hospital has now been privatised.
”We predict that in 12 months time services will decline and
some hospital staff will have been made redundant or will be facing
redundancy. Circle is a profit-making firm whose first priority is
shareholder satisfaction, and not patient care.
”Privatisation, which is central to the Health and Social Care
bill currently before parliament, has taken a giant leap forward
with today’s Hinchingbrooke decision.”
Unite pointed out that this is a growing trend. In September,
the Virgin-backed Assura Medical was announced as the preferred
bidder to take-over Surrey Community Health in a £450 million
deal.
ENDS
Notes to news editors:
For further information please contact Unite communications
officer Shaun Noble on 07768 693940
