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Campaigners to sue as private firm wins contract for GP centre
Anna Davis, Education Correspondent20 Aug 2009
Campaigners are to sue the NHS after control of a new health centre was awarded to a private company.
Lawyers have written to Camden primary care trust warning they could start proceedings over the decision to award Care UK the contract for the GP-led centre in Hampstead Road.
They are demanding the scheme be postponed until the public has been properly consulted. The trust has angered residents by announcing Care UK had beaten local NHS GPs to the contract — before public consultation ends on 9 October.
In a separate move, trust bosses have awarded a contract to provide physiotherapy in Camden to the private firm Connect Physical Health Ltd.
Campaigners fear the new GP-led health centres, which must be set up in every primary care trust in the country under government reforms, will put profits before patient care.
Care UK already runs GP practices and walk-in centres in Dagenham and Stamford Hill, and the walk-in centre in Victoria. It also provides some services at Brixton prison.
Camden PCT allowed US firm United Health to run three GP surgeries last year. A spokeswoman for campaign group Keep Our NHS Public said: “As private companies have a legal obligation to their shareholders, in the financially stringent times ahead Camden patients will suffer as shareholder dividends are protected.”
Reader views (4)
we have Care Uk in the town and they provide a good service. GP's are NOT part of the NHS but are all private profit motivated contractors undertaking work for the NHS in exactly the same way as Care UK. Thats why your local GP is one of the wealthiest people you know.
- George, Luton Beds, 23/08/2009 18:57
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This amazes me, as I have spent more years than I wish to tell trying to work out what is wrong with Care UK, and with Care UK in its care home operations division, in particular. I have made enormous progress ... and I now want to do something positive with the knowledge that I have gained about Care UK.
And now, our NHS is about to be handed to Care UK on a plate. On a golden platter. Without so much as a by-your-leave to those of us who might really care.
I care about the quality of care ... not about the profits of a care provider.
This is a national sadness - thank you so much, Government, for selling off the NHS without permission.
- Emma, London, UK, 20/08/2009 18:29
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So much for consultation! Camden has shown us exactly how much we can trust them.
With consolidation, fragmentation, 'slowly slowly catch a monkey' our NHS as we know it is being dismantled, with the private sector rubbing it's hands in glee. An East of England proposal is Hinchingbrooke hospital in Cambridgeshire can be run by the private and public sector organisations from April 2011.The Compulsory Social Care bill is another area where expenses are shifted out of hospital care to Local authority care, with us having to pay more money for health care. We need to keep an eye on what is happening. It is doubtful if any political party is on our side.
- Ivy Beard, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, 20/08/2009 16:23
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oh dear and all that talk about the Tory MEP Daniel Hannan and look what Labour are doing now selling out to the private sector
- Jacqui Williams, peterborough cambs, 20/08/2009 14:53
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