Campaigners slam private health centres

7:03am Tuesday 21st November 2006

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A CAMPAIGN group is rallying support against the creation of two private treatment centres in south London.

The Greenwich branch of Keep Our NHS Public believes having two independent sector treatment centres will have a serious impact on the viability of hospitals.

Private company Clinicenta has been chosen as the preferred bidder to run two surgical centres at Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup, and St George's Hospital, Tooting.

They will be supported by 10 community clinics offering outpatient and minor procedure services in areas such as Bromley, Woolwich, and Croydon.

The Department of Health sees the centres as playing an important part in modernising the NHS, reducing waiting times and giving patients more choice.

But the Keep Our NHS Public Campaign group believes they will further destablise hospitals such as Woolwich's Queen Elizabeth Hospital because it will divert money from the NHS to profit-making private firms.

The group says there is no evidence to suggest the centres will reduce waiting times.

It also argues they will be in competition with the NHS and take work and income away from hospitals, which could ultimately lead to cuts in services.

As News Shopper reported last week, there are already fears there will be more jobs cuts at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital to achieve a £6.4m savings target set for the next financial year.

Speaking after a meeting at Mycennae House, Blackheath, on November 16, Keep Our NHS Public campaign member Dr Chris Payne, 67, said: "These centres are removing a hospital's ability to earn money, which will destablise them further.

"Information needs to be shared in a clear way about what's happening in the NHS so more people can recognise what we are fighting against."

The retired GP from Greenwich added: "These two centres are yet again the Government's way of reorganising the NHS, giving private companies a greater role.

"We need to change this central Government policy which encourages private sector at the expense of the NHS.

"We have to use the political processes to try to get the main cause put right, such as lobbying the council's health scrutiny panels and our MPs."

The group will hold a public meeting, chaired by former clinical director of medicine for Lewisham Hospital Dr Robin Stott, at Blackheath Blue Coat School, Old Dover Road, Blackheath, on December 5.

Speakers from the British Medical Association and Royal College of Nursing will be at the meeting.

Keep Our NHS Public chairman Frances Hook said: "The public is completely unaware of what's happening.

"Saying privatisation is patient led is misleading. People are being manipulated. We encourage everyone to come to our meeting and support our campaign."

GOVERNMENT PLANS

THE two centres are part of the Department of Health's (DoH) London South Scheme, which is the second phase of its Treatment Centre programme.

This will deliver 18,000 elective and 11,000 minor procedures such as hernia and varicose vein operations and 274,000 diagnostic tests per year over five years.

The 10 community clinics will provide services in services such as ear, nose and throat, general surgery, urology and orthopaedics.

The first centre was opened in October 2003 and there are currently 21 centres providing services to NHS patients A DoH spokesman said: "If the private sector or voluntary organisations can help the NHS deliver even better services for patients and get better value for money for taxpayers then of course we will use them.

"It is patients who choose where they want to be treated and patients' choice which will determine where services and capacity are needed."