Call for no privatisation at Pennine Acute

Rochdale Council Leader Colin Lambert

Health workers and local Labour politicians are calling for Pennine Acute NHS Trust to back away from "damaging privatisation plans".

The Trust’s Board of Directors is considering proposals to outsource key payroll, pensions and human resource functions to private companies based outside the North West.

A petition against this privatisation has been signed by over 2,500 members of the public, NHS workers and local politicians. The petition will be handed in to the Trust on Thursday.

Amongst the signatories are Rochdale Council Leader Colin Lambert and Greater Manchester MPs Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton), Kate Green (Stretford & Urmston), Jonathan Reynolds (Stalybridge & Hyde) and David Heyes (Ashton-under-Lyne).

The petition calls on the Trust to commit to six core principles of the NHS, which include that all services and functions should be provided by NHS organisations.

Kevin Lucas, Regional Organiser for UNISON, the largest union in the NHS, said: "Private companies must not be allowed to place private profit before the needs of our NHS.”

“There is overwhelming opposition to NHS privatisation amongst staff, local MPs and the general public. The Trust Board needs to ditch these plans.”