Sit-in protest over NHS reforms (From Herald Series)

Sit-in protest over NHS reforms

6:34pm Friday 16th March 2012 in Didcot

CAMPAIGNERS against a radical shake-up of the NHS staged a sit in at the county’s primary care trust headquarters today.

NHS Oxfordshire offices in Cowley were occupied by about 20 people protesting against the NHS and Social Care Bill.

Police tried to negotiate with protesters at the offices in Oxford Business Park.

The bill gives GPs and other clinicians more responsibility for spending the NHS budget in England and it will see Primary Care Trusts dismantled by 2013.

Oxfordshire Anti Cuts Alliance and Keep Our NHS Public said the bill is “dismantling the NHS”.

Gawain Little, from the Alliance, said: “Profit not patients will be the central motivating force of the new system.”

The protest took place between 1pm and 5.30pm.