Companies’ cost-cutting undermines local doctors

MANY people celebrated when our local campaign forced NHS Camden to back down on awarding a contract to a private health company Care UK. 
The company’s boss, Mark Hunt, claimed in the New Journal (Forum, January 21) that the debate about whether private companies should run our National Health Service should be based on facts not myths.
Well here are just three facts that show we are right to fight to stop such companies taking over our local doctor services.
Fact one: Private companies make money out of the precious cash that should go to run our health service. 
Care UK boast that their profits from the NHS were up 59 per cent last year and shareholders received a boost of 9 per cent in their dividends. If current takeover talks are successful, the chair of Care UK stands to make a personal profit of £22 million.
Fact two: Private companies win contracts because they undercut local doctors by cutting costs.
Dr Hunt has boasted that in Care UK’s clinics only 10 per cent of walk-in patients are seen by doctors rather than a nurse.
And even registered patients only see a trained doctor 50 per cent of the time.
Fact three: The main political parties have links with the private health companies – and take their cash. Mark Hunt used to work developing strategy in the Department of Health.
If we want to stop private profiteering from taking over our health service we need to put all the politicians on the spot at the election and be prepared to continue the fight to defend the NHS whoever wins!
CANDY UDWIN
Chair Camden Keep Our NHS Public