Private influence is ruining the NHS – and it’s long past time we put a stop to it.
For decades, the NHS has been the backbone of British healthcare, providing free, universal care based on need rather than wealth.
But increasing private sector involvement in recent years has led to a decline in service quality, inefficiency, and financial mismanagement.
The push for privatisation—whether by outsourcing key services or allowing private firms to run NHS hospitals—has had disastrous consequences.
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Here are some of the most striking examples of how private influence is ruining the NHS.
Circle Health and Hinchingbrooke Hospital (2012-2015)
In 2012, Circle Health became the first private company to take over an NHS hospital, Hinchingbrooke in Cambridgeshire.
Promising efficiency and cost savings, the experiment quickly turned into a failure.
By 2015, Circle had withdrawn from the contract, citing financial losses and rising demand for services.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated the hospital as “inadequate,” criticizing poor patient care, staff shortages, and lack of resources.
The NHS had to step in and take over the failing hospital, highlighting the perils of handing public healthcare over to private entities.
Serco and NHS Out-of-Hours GP Services (2012-2013)
Private outsourcing giant Serco was awarded a contract to provide out-of-hours GP services in Cornwall.
However, a scandal emerged when it was discovered that Serco had manipulated performance data to make the service appear better than it was.
Patients endured long waiting times, and staff shortages became a major issue.
After widespread criticism, Serco withdrew from the contract, demonstrating that profit-driven companies often prioritise their financial interests over patient care.
Capita and NHS Primary Care Support (2015-Present)
In 2015, Capita secured a £330 million contract to handle NHS back-office functions, including medical record transfers and primary care support services. The result was chaos.
Thousands of medical documents went missing, and errors led to women being wrongly removed from the cervical cancer screening program, putting lives at risk.
A National Audit Office (NAO) investigation concluded that Capita’s mismanagement had “put patients at risk,” proving that cost-cutting and outsourcing essential services do more harm than good.
Virgin Care and Community Health Services (2010s-2021)
Virgin Care, now HCRG Care Group, won multiple contracts to provide community health services across the UK, including in Surrey.
But when the company lost a contract, it sued the NHS, forcing taxpayers to cover an undisclosed legal settlement.
The episode demonstrated that, while private companies profit from legal disputes, NHS resources are drained, further weakening public healthcare.
Worse still, Virgin Care’s involvement failed to significantly improve patient outcomes, reinforcing the idea that privatiszation serves corporate interests rather than public health.
Private Dental Services and the NHS Dentistry Crisis
NHS dental services have suffered from increasing privatisation, leaving many without access to affordable dental care.
Many private dental providers prioritise paying patients, creating “dental deserts” where NHS patients cannot find treatment.
Investigations have revealed horror stories of patients pulling out their own teeth due to the lack of NHS availability.
Privatisation has made dental care a privilege rather than a right, demonstrating the failure of market-driven healthcare.
The Bigger Picture
Privatisation damages the NHS: services become less reliable, costs increase, and patient care deteriorates.
Private companies prioritise profits over public well-being, leading to crises that ultimately require the NHS to step in and clean up the mess.
Instead of fixing problems, privatisation exacerbates them, funnelling taxpayer money into corporate pockets while patients suffer.
The NHS was built on the principles of equity and universal care, not profit and exploitation.
If the government continues to allow private influence to infiltrate the NHS, it risks dismantling a system that has been the pride of Britain for generations.
It is time to reject further privatisation and restore the NHS to its original purpose: serving the people, not private corporations.
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Private influence is ruining the NHS
Private influence is ruining the NHS – and it’s long past time we put a stop to it.
For decades, the NHS has been the backbone of British healthcare, providing free, universal care based on need rather than wealth.
But increasing private sector involvement in recent years has led to a decline in service quality, inefficiency, and financial mismanagement.
The push for privatisation—whether by outsourcing key services or allowing private firms to run NHS hospitals—has had disastrous consequences.
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
Here are some of the most striking examples of how private influence is ruining the NHS.
Circle Health and Hinchingbrooke Hospital (2012-2015)
In 2012, Circle Health became the first private company to take over an NHS hospital, Hinchingbrooke in Cambridgeshire.
Promising efficiency and cost savings, the experiment quickly turned into a failure.
By 2015, Circle had withdrawn from the contract, citing financial losses and rising demand for services.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated the hospital as “inadequate,” criticizing poor patient care, staff shortages, and lack of resources.
The NHS had to step in and take over the failing hospital, highlighting the perils of handing public healthcare over to private entities.
Serco and NHS Out-of-Hours GP Services (2012-2013)
Private outsourcing giant Serco was awarded a contract to provide out-of-hours GP services in Cornwall.
However, a scandal emerged when it was discovered that Serco had manipulated performance data to make the service appear better than it was.
Patients endured long waiting times, and staff shortages became a major issue.
After widespread criticism, Serco withdrew from the contract, demonstrating that profit-driven companies often prioritise their financial interests over patient care.
Capita and NHS Primary Care Support (2015-Present)
In 2015, Capita secured a £330 million contract to handle NHS back-office functions, including medical record transfers and primary care support services. The result was chaos.
Thousands of medical documents went missing, and errors led to women being wrongly removed from the cervical cancer screening program, putting lives at risk.
A National Audit Office (NAO) investigation concluded that Capita’s mismanagement had “put patients at risk,” proving that cost-cutting and outsourcing essential services do more harm than good.
Virgin Care and Community Health Services (2010s-2021)
Virgin Care, now HCRG Care Group, won multiple contracts to provide community health services across the UK, including in Surrey.
But when the company lost a contract, it sued the NHS, forcing taxpayers to cover an undisclosed legal settlement.
The episode demonstrated that, while private companies profit from legal disputes, NHS resources are drained, further weakening public healthcare.
Worse still, Virgin Care’s involvement failed to significantly improve patient outcomes, reinforcing the idea that privatiszation serves corporate interests rather than public health.
Private Dental Services and the NHS Dentistry Crisis
NHS dental services have suffered from increasing privatisation, leaving many without access to affordable dental care.
Many private dental providers prioritise paying patients, creating “dental deserts” where NHS patients cannot find treatment.
Investigations have revealed horror stories of patients pulling out their own teeth due to the lack of NHS availability.
Privatisation has made dental care a privilege rather than a right, demonstrating the failure of market-driven healthcare.
The Bigger Picture
Privatisation damages the NHS: services become less reliable, costs increase, and patient care deteriorates.
Private companies prioritise profits over public well-being, leading to crises that ultimately require the NHS to step in and clean up the mess.
Instead of fixing problems, privatisation exacerbates them, funnelling taxpayer money into corporate pockets while patients suffer.
The NHS was built on the principles of equity and universal care, not profit and exploitation.
If the government continues to allow private influence to infiltrate the NHS, it risks dismantling a system that has been the pride of Britain for generations.
It is time to reject further privatisation and restore the NHS to its original purpose: serving the people, not private corporations.
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Be among the first to know what’s going on! Here are the ways to manage it:
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (bottom right of the home page). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.
2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical
3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com
5) Follow Vox Political writer Mike Sivier on BlueSky
6) Join the MeWe page at https://mewe.com/p-front/voxpolitical
7) Feel free to comment!
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
Cruel Britannia is available
in either print or eBook format here:
The Livingstone Presumption is available
in either print or eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
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