[matilda] Fwd: Virgin Health Care Road Show! anti-privatisation protest

[Jason]

To all Keep Our NHS Public supporters - you may have heard that
Richard Branson is organisng a Virgin Healthcare roadshow around 26
areas of the country with the aim of setting up 8 polyclinics in 2008
that will run with GPs and other health services, Tesco and Asda are
also competing nationally. KONP have called a protest at the Sheffield
event on Thursday 28th Feb  6.30pm onwards at Cutlers Hall opposite
the cathedral. A leaflet is being produced and is attached [text
below], protests have already happened in Leicester and Oxford and one
is planned in Manchester for 20th.

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No to Privatised GP practices

Virgin has organised a tour to take over GP's practices.  At this
point there is talk of private-public cooperation.

There can be no cooperation between organisations dedicated to look
after our health for free and those who are dedicated to profits.

The Private sector, like Virgin, makes its profits from paying
customers.  Hence Virgin entered illegal price fixing of fuel duty
with BA for trans Atlantic flights.  The private sector also makes
profits from weak unions.  This is why Virgin's boss Richard Branson
told workers for his airline that if they didn't like their wages they
should work elsewhere.

The private sector is the most efficient way to get scarce resources
to those with money to pay for them.  It is directly opposite from the
founding principles of the NHS.   We know from dentistry that blurring
the lines between private and public has led to the near destruction
of NHS dentistry and to rotten teeth.  Oppose Virgin's attempt at a
takeover.

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No to profiteering in Health
No to privatisations
Protest at Cutler's Hall (opposite Cathedral)
Thurs Feb 28th 6.30pm onwards