This unaltered story [1] was originally published on OpenDemocracy.org.
License [2]: Creative Commons 4.0 - Attributions/No Derivities/Int'l.
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Three-quarters of UK public worried more NHS privatisation will damage care
By: []
Date: 2021-12
UK voters are seriously worried that greater use of private companies by the NHS could lead to a decline in standards and a loss of money to NHS hospitals, a poll has found.
A poll commissioned by openDemocracy found that around three-quarters of UK adults would be concerned if the proportion of healthcare provided by the NHS using private companies were to increase.
Three-quarters of those polled specifically fear that an increase in the use of private companies by the NHS would result in corners being cut (76%), the use of less-skilled staff (74%), and healthcare systems becoming more disjointed or fragmented (77%).
The findings come as the government’s controversial Health and Care Bill is due to return to the House of Commons for its final vote on 23 November, before proceeding to the House of Lords. Labour politicians and NHS campaigners have criticised the bill for making it easier for private companies to take over more NHS work, as it deregulates the process of handing out contracts in the name of local, post-EU “flexibility”.
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The poll, carried out by SavantaComRes and crowdfunded by openDemocracy readers, found that approaching eight in ten (76%) UK adults were also concerned by the general principle of healthcare being run for profit in the UK, with half (50%) saying they were “very concerned” about this.
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https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/ournhs/three-quarters-of-uk-public-worried-more-nhs-privatisation-will-damage-care/
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