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Boris Johnson is facing fresh questions over privatisation in the NHS after new research revealed that £15bn of health service contracts have been handed to private companies since 2015.
The analysis found that almost two-thirds of NHS contracts by value have gone to the private sector in the last four years, and that their total yearly value has almost doubled since then.
The finding casts doubts over health secretary Matt Hancock ‘s promise that there would be “no privatisation of the NHS on my watch”.
The research was carried out on behalf of the GMB trade union, which represents many NHS workers, by Tussell, a company that provides data on government contracts.
It found that £14.7bn of the £24bn of outsourced contracts awarded since 2015 went to private companies – equivalent to 61 per cent. 30 per cent went to other NHS bodies, while around 7 per cent went to other bodies such as charities and local authorities.
Last year, £3.6bn worth of outsourced NHS contracts were awarded to private companies – 64 per cent of the total and up from £3bn the previous year. The figure has almost doubled from £1.9bn in 2015.
So far in 2019 £3.3bn (63 per cent) of contracts has been given to organisations in the private sector.
The largest number of contracts went to Care UK Clinical Services (17) and Virgin Care (13), while the biggest in terms of value was a £1bn deal handed to Sirona Care & Health, a not-for-profit enterprise, to provide adult community health services in Bristol, north Somerset and south Gloucestershire for the next ten years.
Rehana Azam, GMB’s national secretary, said: “These shocking figures expose the extent to which our NHS is increasingly falling into private hands.
“Outsourcing is bad news for patients and NHS staff. Time and time again, we have seen private providers fail to deliver while our members’ terms and conditions and the NHS national agreement have been undermined.
She added: “NHS services should be provided in the public interest, not for private profit.
“Urgent action is needed to end outsourcing in the NHS, and we urge NHS workers and everyone who relies on the service to make that case to their local candidates during the election.”
General election: On the campaign trailShow all 114 1 /114General election: On the campaign trail General election: On the campaign trail Boris Johnson drives a Union flag-themed JCB, with the words "Get Brexit Done" inside the digger bucket, through a fake wall emblazoned with the word "GRIDLOCK", during a general election campaign event at JCB construction company in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire
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General election: On the campaign trail A sculpture of an owl is bedecked with an EU beret as Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson gestures during an interview at a general election campaign event in Bath
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General election: On the campaign trail Boris Johnson (C) talks during a question and answer session on a general election campaign visit to Ferguson's Transport in the town of Washington, west of Sunderland
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General election: On the campaign trail Jeremy Corbyn makes cup of coffee as he campaigns in Barry, south Wales
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General election: On the campaign trail Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits a Christmas market in Salisbury
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General election: On the campaign trail Liberal Democrat Leader Jo Swinson on the election campaign bus on route to Chelmsford
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General election: On the campaign trail Boris Johnson, centre, talks to veteran James Gammer as he visits a veterans centre
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General election: On the campaign trail Prime Minister Boris Johnson on The Andrew Marr Show
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General election: On the campaign trail Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn eats some chips in Whitby, northern England
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General election: On the campaign trail
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General election: On the campaign trail Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a visit to Bassetlaw District General Hospital in Worksop, Nottinghamshire
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General election: On the campaign trail Boris Johnson lays a brick during a visit to the Barratt Homes
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General election: On the campaign trail
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General election: On the campaign trail Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson (left) during a visit to the Gurdwara Singh Sabha Temple in Glasgow
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General election: On the campaign trail Britain's opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn visits residents affected by flooding in Conisbrough
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General election: On the campaign trail Nigel Farage visits a butcher's shop in Sutton-in-Ashfield
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General election: On the campaign trail SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon visits Blosson Tree children's nursery
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General election: On the campaign trail Prime Minister Boris Johnson hold Rosie the rabbit during a visit to a primary school while on the campaign trail in Taunton
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General election: On the campaign trail Jo Swinson playing with children at the Battersea Arts Centre in Lavender Hill
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General election: On the campaign trail Farage addresses supporters at the Washington Central Hotel in Workington
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General election: On the campaign trail Jeremy Corbyn poses with Labour activists as they canvas in Govan, Glasgow
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General election: On the campaign trail Prime Minister Boris Johnson meets six month old Willow Rose Anderson, at the Lych Gate Tavern in Wolverhampton
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General election: On the campaign trail Jo Swinson holds up a sack of barley during a visit to Crafty Maltsters Scotland
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General election: On the campaign trail Jeremy Corbyn tries a scone in Bentley, Doncaster
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General election: On the campaign trail Nigel Farage takes a mouthful of homemade cheesecake during a stop at the Grimsby Seafood Village
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General election: On the campaign trail Boris Johnson hauling a consignment of frozen chocolate gateaux, during a visit to Iceland Foods HQ in Deeside
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General election: On the campaign trail Jo Swinson puts on a high visibility jacket during a visit to Sigma Pharmaceuticals, a family run pharmaceutical wholesaler in Watford
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Jonathan Ashworth , Labour’s shadow health secretary, said: “Matt Hancock said there would be no privatisation on his watch, yet we’ve seen repeated contracts for NHS services being given to private companies, breaking up integrated care, costing the taxpayer and leaving a poor quality service for patients.
“Labour will bring an end to this profiteering in our NHS and restore our health service to public hands.”
In January, Mr Hancock told MPs on the Commons health committee: “There is no privatisation of the NHS on my watch.”
Responding to the GMB data, Mr Hancock told The Independent : “I love our NHS and am completely committed to ensuring it always remain free at the point of use. The NHS has always used private provision – GPs, opticians and pharmacists all operate privately. The important thing is that patients access the care and treatment they need, free at the point of use.
“Labour’s plans for unlimited immigration and a four day would cripple our NHS. And their plans to remove independent provision in the NHS would increase waiting times. Only Boris Johnson and the Conservatives can get Brexit done and focus on the people’s priorities – schools, hospitals and police."
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