Petition to protect local NHS healthcare

A CAMPAIGN group against potential changes to the NHS has presented its 2,000-signature petition to the newly-formed group responsible for overseeing local healthcare.

By The Newsroom

Published 8th Feb 2013, 11:00 BST

Members of the national lobbying group, 38 Degrees, are concerned that as a result of changes bought in by the Government, it will be too easy for private companies to take over the running of local health services.

As of April 1, practices between Chichester and Worthing will be overseen by the Coastal West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group, run by GPs.

The petition asks the group to make amendments to its constitution that make it harder for privatisation to happen.

It also urges the commissioning group to avoid widespread cuts to patient care, including to doctors and hospital beds.

Similar petitions have been presented to other commissioning groups, with Hackney the first to adopt the demands.

For the full story, see the Worthing Herald, out Thursday, February 7.