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From The Socialist newspaper, 15 May 2019
Privatisers sue NHS - kick out the fat cats and fully nationalise our health service!
Marching to save the NHS, photo Mary Finch (Click to enlarge)
Jon Dale, secretary, Unite EM/NG32 Nottinghamshire Health
A private company is taking the NHS to court, because its contract to run Nottingham University Hospital's outpatient-treatment centre was not renewed.
Circle had the £320 million contract for eleven years. When the contract came up for renewal, the Clinical Commissioning Group awarded it back to the hospital trust, who put in a cheaper bid.
Circle claim to be concerned the trust will not be able to provide the service at lower cost as staff will benefit from "improved NHS terms" - an admission some Circle staff are paid less!
Circle is clearly so concerned about the NHS's financial state - its court case is forcing the NHS trust to pay £1 million in legal costs. This is the second time Circle has gone to court over the contract.
Nottingham skin patients quickly lost their service when the company first took over the treatment centre. All the consultant dermatologists refused to work for Circle because of its record in refusing to pay consultants for research and training.
Circle also walked away from its contract to run Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Cambridgeshire when they found they weren't making the profit they expected.
The health trade unions should now demand that Circle's finances are open to union inspection. How much profit have they made from the Nottingham contract over the past eleven years? Circle is majority-owned by hedge funds.
Al the staff at the treatment centre should be taken on by the NHS at trade union-negotiated rates of pay and conditions of work. Local Unison and Unite branches are campaigning against Circle along with Keep Our NHS Public and the Socialist Party.
Labour is pledging to take privatised services back into the NHS. A good start would be to assure the NHS trust that Circle, and all other profiteering companies, will be kicked out by a Corbyn-led government, so money is spent on patient care not wasted on legal costs.
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In The Socialist 15 May 2019:
News
Take the wealth off the super-rich
Privatisers sue NHS - kick out the fat cats and fully nationalise our health service!
Workload-related mistakes by GPs on the rise - health unions need to fight back
Knife crime tragedy linked to council cuts
What we think
Bosses fear revolt against capitalism
Workplace news
Mitie workers striking against poverty pay
Birmingham home care strikers close to victory!
Newham gas workers' strike threat
Usdaw united on need for fightback - now keep pressure on for action
End high-stakes testing in primary schools: build the boycott ballot!
PCS union officialdom splits vote, removes Chris Baugh - but is still rejected by members
Honda bosses confirm Swindon closure: Unite must signal it will fight
International socialist news and analysis
Revolution and counter-revolution in Sudan
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Trump UK visit: Protest against the billionaire bigot
Climate change
Profit system rapidly destroying environment
Socialist policies needed to halt climate disaster
Opinion
May 1649 - the Last Stand of the Levellers
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