Express & Star

More than 10k names on Staffordshire health petition

More than 10,500 signatures have been added to a petition started just two weeks ago opposing plans for cancer and end-of-life care to be run by private companies in Staffordshire.

Published

Health chiefs have teamed up with experts from Macmillan Cancer Support to overhaul the way services are managed with 10-year contracts worth £689 million and £535 million up for grabs.

See also: Health chiefs' plans in Staffordshire will be a 'dangerous experiment'.

But the news has caused widespread concern across the county, with campaigners dubbing the move as 'privatisation by the back door' and a petition was launched a fortnight ago to try and stop the changes from going ahead.

Do you agree with the statement that the move is 'privatisation by the back door'?

Cannock Chase Council leader George Adamson has now handed the document into Staffordshire County Council.

He said the number of names on it meant it crossed the threshold to force councillors to debate it in public.

He said: "I've now handed the petition into Staffordshire County Council. As there are so many names on it it has triggered a debate at full council on October 9.

"The amount of signatures collected in such a short space of time shows how concerned people are with this.

"It's our NHS and we don't want it given away to private companies. Wherever you go there is huge public concern about this and rightly so.

"It's privatisation which ever way you look at it."

Should cancer and end-of-life care be run by private companies, or should it remain in the NHS? Leave your comments below.

Virgin, Care UK, Ramsay Health and other private firms are said to be interested in bidding for the contracts.

Cannock Chase and Stafford and Surrounds Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) have previously insisted the provider of services will not change and it will put 'patients first'.

A public meeting was held on Saturday over the plans for end-of-life care. Around 100 people gathered at Victoria Park in Stafford.

The Cancer - Not For Profit campaign group organised the gathering to call for the public to be given a say in the process.

They say clinical commissioning groups are 'neglecting their duty' by failing to hold a public consultation. A series of speakers took to the park's bandstand to address the audience and drum up support for the campaign.

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.