1,000 signatures reached
To: Guy's and St Thomas Hospital Trust Board
Reverse privatisation of pathology services at Guy's and St Thomas and King's College Hospital's
We are opposed to the privatisation of NHS services. We wish pathology staff at Guy's and St Thomas Hospital to remain as NHS employees, and for Pathology services at the three hospitals to return in-house and be part of the NHS.
Why is this important?
For the last 5 years, pathology services at Guy's and St Thomas and King's College Hospital's have been managed by Viapath, a for-profit company formed between SERCO and the two hospital Trusts.
Since the takeover by Viapath, the service has been plagued by problems; chronic understaffing, inability to recruit and retain, reduced training, closure of vital services and massive financial losses. Now the remaining NHS staff in the service face being transferred out of the NHS on the 1st January 2015.
We oppose the transfer of staff and believe that to guarantee a quality and safe service for patients, the staff should remain part of the NHS, and all pathology services should be brought back into the NHS.
The alternative is a the running down of a vital service for patients, and the loss of highly skilled and experienced staff.
SERCO is a company notorious for poor services, bad employment practices and is being investigated for defrauding the government on other outsourcing contracts. Their involvement in the NHS can only jeopardise patient safety and damage the hospital’s reputation.
Since the takeover by Viapath, the service has been plagued by problems; chronic understaffing, inability to recruit and retain, reduced training, closure of vital services and massive financial losses. Now the remaining NHS staff in the service face being transferred out of the NHS on the 1st January 2015.
We oppose the transfer of staff and believe that to guarantee a quality and safe service for patients, the staff should remain part of the NHS, and all pathology services should be brought back into the NHS.
The alternative is a the running down of a vital service for patients, and the loss of highly skilled and experienced staff.
SERCO is a company notorious for poor services, bad employment practices and is being investigated for defrauding the government on other outsourcing contracts. Their involvement in the NHS can only jeopardise patient safety and damage the hospital’s reputation.
