No to privatised polyclinics

PROTESTERS TURNED up at the Waldron Health Centre in New Cross, south London, on the morning of 30 March to see New Labour health minister Alan Johnson inspect the new expanded centre.

They wanted to make it clear what they thought of his plans and those of Lewisham Primary Care Trust for private providers to run a new GP service there. These would mainly be huge health firms run for private profit.

Unfortunately, Johnson did not show up. The protesters did have suggestions as to why Johnson couldn't make it. Perhaps he was filling in his expense forms or even looking at blue movies!

On Saturday stalls, the campaign has so far gathered 1,000 signatures against these privatising 'polyclinic' proposals. These threaten not only the four popular GP services already working at the Waldron but also the basic principles of the NHS. The official, and hugely misleading, 'consultation' ends on 6 April.

The campaigners will keep on fighting this salami-style privatisation of our NHS. We don't want unaccountable private 'health care' companies running surgeries presently run by GPs. We will keep fighting for services to be improved by greater investment in GPs' clinics.

Roger Shrives