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ThreadA US company that closed NHS GP practices because they were not profitable has taken over 49 London GP practices. We and 22 other orgs are calling on London's Mayoral and Assembly candidates to take the *London Patient Protection Pledge*. 1/ https://weownit.org.uk/act-now/london-patient-protection-pledge
These takeovers will affect the quality of care Londoners receive in these GP practices and will worsen Londonâs health inequality. Evidence shows GP practices run by private firms are worse for patients than those run by traditional GP partnerships. 2/ https://www.gponline.com/gp-services-run-private-firms-worse-patients/article/1448878
The company, Centene, is guilty in the US of wrongdoings, from stealing doctorsâ wages to taking peopleâs health insurance money and not supplying doctors or health centres to provide care.
They were fined for the latter: https://www.insurance.wa.gov/news/coordinated-care-corp-fined-15-million-agrees-fix-provider-networks 3/ https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/08/20/2081439/0/en/Arkansas-Court-Rules-that-Health-Insurer-Centene-Systematically-Underpaid-Emergency-Room-Doctors-Affiliated-with-TeamHealth.html
They were fined for the latter: https://www.insurance.wa.gov/news/coordinated-care-corp-fined-15-million-agrees-fix-provider-networks 3/ https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/08/20/2081439/0/en/Arkansas-Court-Rules-that-Health-Insurer-Centene-Systematically-Underpaid-Emergency-Room-Doctors-Affiliated-with-TeamHealth.html
In the UK, they were responsible for closing a GP practice in Essex for not being profitable. The 2019 annual report of their UK arm, Operose, identified âstrategic exit of certain loss-making elements of our businessâ as a key strategy for them. 4/ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5720255/A-profit-greedy-American-health-giant-thousands-Britain-lost-local-GP.html
Other cases of Operose abandoning patients:
-they exited their Surrey Borders Partnership NHS Trust children's mental health contract (2019)
-they exited their Surrey Borders Partnership NHS Trust child & Family health contract (2019)
Source: company annual report 2019 5/
-they exited their Surrey Borders Partnership NHS Trust children's mental health contract (2019)
-they exited their Surrey Borders Partnership NHS Trust child & Family health contract (2019)
Source: company annual report 2019 5/
The *London Patient Protection Pledge* is being sponsored by 23 national and London-based groups representing doctors, pensioners, housing advocates and public service users. It brings doctors and patients together. 6/ https://weownit.org.uk/act-now/london-patient-protection-pledge
Despite the potentially significant effects of these takeovers on patients, there was NO consultation with patients or local leaders prior to approval. Over 180 London councillors from ALL main parties have opposed the takeovers on record. 7/ https://weownit.org.uk/open-letter-local-leaders-mps-councillors-assembly-members-ccgs-centenes-takeover-nhs-gp-practices
