The Socialist 31 March 2009

Youth Fight For Jobs

The G20 leaders have no solution to the crisis...

Fight for a future!

Youth Fight for Jobs conference

Why I'm marching

The grim reality of job-hunting

G20 Summit: Capitalism facing 'make or break'

Free market system killing our planet

UEL clampdown

Bail out workers, not Wall Street!

Visteon workers occupy Belfast factory

Construction workers' protests continue

Socialist stands in Aslef leadership elections

College teachers strike in Eastbourne

Unison needs a fighting leadership: Leeds City Council

Whipps Cross Hospital

Unison elections

Economic crisis turning into political action

No2EU - Yes to Democracy

Dave Nellist on the Politics Show

Poor hit by price rises

No to privatised polyclinics

Gordon Brown meets the bankers

Sack the bankers not the workers!

Fast News

Now that the profits are drying up in the Indian software industry

Sweden: Socialist councillor viciously assaulted by Nazis

Previous issues, etc

Print this issue




Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/573/7111

Google search the site	Printable version	email to friend

Home | The Socialist 31 March 2009 | Join the Socialist Party

Subscribe | Donate | Bookshop

No to privatised polyclinics

PROTESTERS TURNED up at the Waldron Health Centre in New Cross, south London, on the morning of 30 March to see New Labour health minister Alan Johnson inspect the new expanded centre.

They wanted to make it clear what they thought of his plans and those of Lewisham Primary Care Trust for private providers to run a new GP service there. These would mainly be huge health firms run for private profit.

Unfortunately, Johnson did not show up. The protesters did have suggestions as to why Johnson couldn't make it. Perhaps he was filling in his expense forms or even looking at blue movies!

On Saturday stalls, the campaign has so far gathered 1,000 signatures against these privatising 'polyclinic' proposals. These threaten not only the four popular GP services already working at the Waldron but also the basic principles of the NHS. The official, and hugely misleading, 'consultation' ends on 6 April.

The campaigners will keep on fighting this salami-style privatisation of our NHS. We don't want unaccountable private 'health care' companies running surgeries presently run by GPs. We will keep fighting for services to be improved by greater investment in GPs' clinics.