- Target:
- 500
- Region:
- Forest of Dean
The newly drafted rules governing GP-led clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), say that
contracts can be awarded to "a single provider without advertising an intention to seek offers from providers". In such cases, the rules add, "the relevant body [must be] satisfied that the services to which the contract relates are capable of being provided only by that provider".
Many residents of the Forest of Dean share the concern of others across the country that these rules open the door to competition because in the vast majority of cases there will be more than one organisation, including private firms, that are "capable" of providing the service.
So, the new rules are crafted in such a way to require the CCGs’ to include private providers in the process of tendering.
If, under the draft rules, a private provider can deliver the service at a lower cost than the NHS, then the CCGs are required to grant them the contract. Thus the regulations carry a huge risk of ripping the NHS wide open to private providers and load the dice in their favour by making cost the only factor. As private providers will not be bound by the fair, national wage structures that NHS providers must adhere to, they will be free to cut wages, staff and resources in order to enhance profits while undercutting NHS providers.
We are concerned that this will have serious adverse effects on the quality of healthcare we will all receive.
We call upon our GPs to assist us in protecting the NHS from further privatisation.
Please urge Dr Martin Gibb and other members of the Clinical Commissioning Group to award health care contracts to NHS providers rather than private health companies.
We also call upon all our GPs to declare any interests they may have in private health care companies.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The To all GPs in The Forest of Dean: Stop Privatisation of the NHS petition to 500 was written by Siamak Alimi and is in the category Health at GoPetition.