l LAST week a group of concerned local citizens handed in a 4,000-strong petition to Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) chairman, Ian Busby.

The petition had been signed by residents of the county from all walks of life and with different political viewpoints. What unites all those who signed was a passion to stop the local NHS from being privatised, a view held by many more than those thousands who signed.

We need compassion and co-operation in the commissioning of healthcare services so that compassion and co-operation flow down into service provision – it’s not rocket science.

When the CCG produces its new draft constitution, in January 2013, we will see whether the members have done their duty and involved the public in their decision making; if they have, and crucially done their sums over the long term, they will have adopted the 38 degrees amendments drafted by lawyers and already included by some CCGs around the country, such as Hackney.

They will hopefully also have followed the innovative example of Hounslow CCG and created a new position on their board for a member of Oxfordshire HealthWatch, the public’s voice on health and social care. The NHS is already cut down to the bone, there is no more meat left.

If the CCG allows private companies to provide local NHS services, both patients and staff will lose out. The only winners will be shareholders pocketing more of our hard-earned tax pounds: is that really where you want your taxes to pay for health care ending up ?

RICHARD LOHMAN, Wheatley Road, Stanton St John