NHS – GP Privatisation
WORKERS, APR 2006 ISSUE
Government privatisation plans for GP surgeries have been put on hold in North East Derbyshire. The giant US health firm, UnitedHealth, was set to move in and take over GP services. Now that move is being challenged in the courts by the Medical Practitioners Union.
A judicial review has been granted after the Primary Care Trust failed to consult local residents about health care provision. Local residents voted for established local GP bidders, with knowledge and experience of the locality. UnitedHealth has no experience of running GP services in the UK.
UnitedHealth Europe's chief executive is Dr Richard Smith, former editor of the British Medical Journal. He said the practices will be able to offer a range of treatment and diagnostic services not previously available and represent a "small beginning" for a company that hopes to play a bigger part in providing primary care through the NHS.
Local residents in Derbyshire can see that the "small beginning" is about UnitedHealth levering open the NHS to make profits. They can also recognise a turncoat. As editor of the BMJ, Smith opposed privatisation and the 'Americanisation' of the NHS. Perhaps his views have been changed by the lure of a fat salary.