A bill that aims to repeal parts of the Government’s Health and Social Care Act and limit private business involvement in the NHS has been backed by many MPs, with the latest supporter being MP Debbie Abrahams of Oldham.
MPs unite to halt NHS privatisation
The Oldham East and Saddleworth MP said: ‘The Government has forced hospitals to open themselves to privatisation, letting private companies cherry-pick the most profitable services. NHS funds are being spent on competition lawyers and tendering exercises, instead of on patient care.
‘We opposed the Coalition Government’s Health and Social Care Act 2012 because we knew it would open up the NHS to the eventual full privatisation that the Tories want.
‘Since the law was passed, with the help of Lib-Dem votes, we’ve seen £3 billion wasted on a needless reorganisation and profitable services put into the private sector while at the same time the NHS is under increasing pressure.’
Mrs Abrahams has also been critical of her local NHS services. In her ‘NHS Check Oldham’ report, it was found that Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust which provides mental health services in Oldham, and the Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group as well as the Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (which runs the Royal Oldham Hospital), responsible for having spent several thousand pounds on bidding for contracts, and acquiring legal and financial advice for putting contracts out to tender.
MPs have developed concerns regarding what indicates gradual privatisation of the NHS, following major contracts being sold to US companies and private British companies.