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Why patients are campaigning against NHS outsourcing Why patients are campaigning against NHS outsourcing
(about 4 hours later)
The Save Lewisham hospital campaign has this month given a very clear message to our clinical commissioning group (CCG): we want care, not competition – do not sacrifice our clinical services to the market.The Save Lewisham hospital campaign has this month given a very clear message to our clinical commissioning group (CCG): we want care, not competition – do not sacrifice our clinical services to the market.
NHS guidance states: “CCGs must not act in an anti-competitive way unless they can demonstrate it is in the interests of patients.” The campaign believes it is not in patients’ interests for competition to be integral to the NHS and they do not want their services outsourced.NHS guidance states: “CCGs must not act in an anti-competitive way unless they can demonstrate it is in the interests of patients.” The campaign believes it is not in patients’ interests for competition to be integral to the NHS and they do not want their services outsourced.
Residents of Lewisham, south-east London, have signed a letter to the NHS regulator Monitor in their thousands. The letter offers protection for a CCG that wants to avoid competitive tendering. It supports the CCG in refusing to tender for services and in countering a challenge on that decision from either Monitor, or a private contractor.Residents of Lewisham, south-east London, have signed a letter to the NHS regulator Monitor in their thousands. The letter offers protection for a CCG that wants to avoid competitive tendering. It supports the CCG in refusing to tender for services and in countering a challenge on that decision from either Monitor, or a private contractor.
The letter challenges the assumption that competition, now at the heart of the NHS, is in the best interests of everyone in England – an assumption that underpins the Health and Social Care Act and which drives Monitor.The letter challenges the assumption that competition, now at the heart of the NHS, is in the best interests of everyone in England – an assumption that underpins the Health and Social Care Act and which drives Monitor.
The campaign and a representative from the Unite union met representatives of Monitor last July when we handed in the first 2,000 letters.The campaign and a representative from the Unite union met representatives of Monitor last July when we handed in the first 2,000 letters.
We argued that there is no evidence that a free market and competition benefit patient care. We also disputed the idea that it does not matter whether clinical services are run by the private or public sector. Instead, as we pointed out, there is ample evidence that, in order to meet their bottom line, private service providers cut corners, fragment services and take profits out of the NHS.We argued that there is no evidence that a free market and competition benefit patient care. We also disputed the idea that it does not matter whether clinical services are run by the private or public sector. Instead, as we pointed out, there is ample evidence that, in order to meet their bottom line, private service providers cut corners, fragment services and take profits out of the NHS.
We pointed out that Monitor’s guidance of the law makes it very difficult for CCGs (now in charge of procuring services under the Health and Social Care Act) to avoid tendering for both expired contracts and new or redesigned services. The route of avoiding going to “the market” is made too complicated and compounded by the threat of legal action from corporates.We pointed out that Monitor’s guidance of the law makes it very difficult for CCGs (now in charge of procuring services under the Health and Social Care Act) to avoid tendering for both expired contracts and new or redesigned services. The route of avoiding going to “the market” is made too complicated and compounded by the threat of legal action from corporates.
The reality on the ground constantly contradicts Monitor’s and ministers’ rhetoric that CCGs are “free to choose” their procurement routes.The reality on the ground constantly contradicts Monitor’s and ministers’ rhetoric that CCGs are “free to choose” their procurement routes.
When we met, Monitor agreed that there is little evidence for any benefit to patients of going to the market and competition. They also could not give us any idea of the costs of running an NHS on these lines. Monitor can also see that its guidance on tendering is confusing to CCGs, so much so that it has to go around the country offering guidance on its guidance.When we met, Monitor agreed that there is little evidence for any benefit to patients of going to the market and competition. They also could not give us any idea of the costs of running an NHS on these lines. Monitor can also see that its guidance on tendering is confusing to CCGs, so much so that it has to go around the country offering guidance on its guidance.
Related: Privatisation is ripping the NHS from our hands
We would like campaigning groups around the country to use such letters from individual patients addressed to Monitor to press for change. We hope CCGs will use it to avoid tendering routinely – they can use evidence of strong local support to show that it is in their patients’ best interests to avoid a market in health.We would like campaigning groups around the country to use such letters from individual patients addressed to Monitor to press for change. We hope CCGs will use it to avoid tendering routinely – they can use evidence of strong local support to show that it is in their patients’ best interests to avoid a market in health.
Our campaign wants to fight together with others to rid the NHS of the market – a pointless process only geared for the benefit of big business.Our campaign wants to fight together with others to rid the NHS of the market – a pointless process only geared for the benefit of big business.