Centene: Undemocratic takeover of GP services

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This is Trowbridge surgery in Hackney Wick. It is one of 11 GP surgeries in NE London and 49 across London that have just been sold to Operose, a subsidiary of Centene, which is a huge US health insurance corporate. This was all done with no public debate and no say for patients.

The expansion of Operose has raised concerns among campaigners who believe the take over demonstrates how much the role of private companies in the NHS has been strengthened in recent years, and may be further strengthened still.

Dr Jackie Applebee, chair of Doctors in Unite said: "We have been warning for years that US healthcare firms are circling to swoop on the NHS. Our fears are dismissed by politicians and senior NHS managers. The public are constantly told that the NHS is not being privatised.

"The advent of Centene onto the general practice landscape reveals yet again, that this is a lie. In reality the NHS is being parcelled up and sold off under the radar."

Politicians recently claimed that the leaked Health and Care White Paper would reduce privatisation. However, Centene, the huge corporate behind this take-over, is one of a host of mainly US companies already accredited  under the government’s new plans as part of the so-called ‘Health Systems Support Framework’. Companies in this list are likely to receive huge contracts to deliver the new structure proposed in the White Paper. Even before the new White Paper becomes law, this devastating take-over shows how easily and secretly a huge US corporate can take over even our local GP surgeries - the most familiar and valued part of our NHS.

This article was written by Marion Macalpine member of Hackney Keep Our NHS Public


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10 Comments

  1. What’s the likelihood of a campaign to get people to transfer from surgeries owned by these parasites to alternative surgeries. If they can be hit in their profits they might decide it’s not worth it !

  2. In a US state run GP surgery, I wouldn’t be noticed. Luckily I was noticed in my local surgery. I then had to go to Great Ormond Street hospital, and after that Queens Square. I wouldn’t have that if we went into a USA style hospital system. Stop this idea now !

  3. The Tories have been against our NHS since it’s inception. It is the jewel of our country. The Tories will run it down as they did British Rail and sell it off by stealth. Our right-wing press and the BBC are not reporting on this latest scandal re Centene. It is an absolute disgrace and yet people still vote Tory.

  4. Gutted that this is happening the great COVID-19 news blackout nothing else is reported. To make matters worse it’s not like we can expect much of a fight from Starmer the Tory plant.

  5. If our healthcare is taken from us ,,,working class people have NO CHANCE

    IF LIFE WAS A THING
    THAT MONEY COULD BUY
    THE RICH WILL LIVE
    AND THE POOR WILL DIE

  6. I’ve never read such hysterical drivel in my life. GP practices are private businesses, always have been. The same GPs providing healthcare under a different owner? A bit of US quality and excellence, not to mention customer service, might do us the world of good. Ideology in healthcare in this country is killing people. Suck it see, then criticise but change is long overdue.

  7. This country as become the 51st State of America‼️it’s a disgrace Boris Johnson & his Govt plus Sunak are responsible for all of this ‼️Corruption on a massive scale‼️the people of UK have had it because The present day Labour Party is worse‼️ We want our Country Back

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