Defend the NHS.
 
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Dr Ken Williamson, a retired family doctor and chairman of Oxfordshire Keep Our NHS Public said:

‘Local people want to see tax payer’s money to be used so that their own local GP surgeries are open more hours and provide more NHS services. They don’t want to see it funnelled into Richard Branson’s pockets. Oxfordshire Campaigners beat off plans over 2 years ago to privatise control over NHS spending in the area. Local people chose not to use the mobile cataract service provided by NETCARE, a private  South  African Company and we used the local NHS service instead. Oxfordshire PCT has been forced into selling off the rest of the contact to other areas.

We can fight these plans if local people, campaigners and health professionals stand up and say – we want the NHS not a VIRGIN run project that doesn’t deliver.

National protests are breaking out over Virgin's bid to take over NHS primary care.

Tonight (17th March) the Oxford protest was attended by 40-50 people - activists lobbying both entrances to the Oxford university venue.
Activists commissioned a new banner for the occasion 'Virgin on the ridiculous' featuring Richard Branson - clutching his assets!  Those who attended the event reported hard cash inducements from the Virgin sales team - one family doctor commented that it was a full 20 minutes before the word 'patients' was mentioned.

Images clickable and copyright free.

The demonstration was backed by health unions, the Trades Union Council, and greetings came from pensioners, NHS activists and post workers.

Remember:

• This 'business friendly' government faced with the choice of having a bank run by Virgin or the state chose nationalisation. Perhaps they should nationalise GP surgeries - or are they less important?

• Virgin Atlantic airways are currently being forced to repay customers possibly millions for illegal price fixing with British Airways. They only avoided a huge fine by blowing the whistle on BA first thereby getting immunity.

• Virgin have recently lost their rail franchise locally because of their poor record of running a railway.

Getting comprehensive integrated healthcare wrong is a lot more serious.

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Campaign_News

60TH Birthday of the NHS – 5TH JULY 2008 To celebrate the 60th Birthday of the NHS, Keep our NHS Public Oxfordshire are collecting your ‘good news’ stories about the NHS. We want to hear from you about your positive experiences about being looked after and cared for by the NHS over the last 60 years. It can be your experience of something simple and straight forward of it might be about a long and complex problem. We will be putting together a book of positive stories. On Saturday 5th July we will be holding a reception and exhibition at the Town Hall with Oxford Mayor Susanna Pressel. If you would like to share your stories with us, then please email than to PFI Alert@gmail.com.

Campaign_News

Protest at the VIRGIN meeting to be held in Oxford at St. Hugh's College on Monday evening 17th March 08!   Meet at the Canterbury Road entrance to St. Hugh's at 6.30pm.   The Virgin meeting is aimed at local NHS staff who will be going in between 6.30-7.30pm.   We then plan to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in the Rose and Crown from 7.30pm onwards.