Some parts of the NHS will now have to pay market-rate rents on their facilities.
Tory chancellor George Osborne has driven through the change at NHS Property Services, which owns around 10% of NHS estate. Bosses claim this is just a redistribution within the NHS, which they will invest in improving buildings. But one expert at property advisers Savills said “NHS England will be out of pocket.”
The fact that moving to market rents smoothes any future transition from public to private ownership is no doubt coincidental.
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Only 56% of London ambulances arrived at top-priority ‘red’ calls within their eight-minute target in February. Staff shortages meant 6,000 fewer hours of patient care during the month.
The London Ambulance Service is already in special measures. The Socialist fights to reverse all cuts and privatisation in the NHS.