On Wednesday 26th August 2015 hundreds of protesters marched the very short distance from the “Bear Pit” to the Bristol Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) offices to present a petition against the plans by the CCG that could give a contract to Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Care to run Children’s Community Health Partnership (CCHP) in Bristol and South Gloucestershire.

The march, with trade unionists from Unison and Unite well represented, was organised by Protect CCHP to present a 6,300 petition to the CCG opposing the sell off.

Dr Charlotte Paterson, a former GP, in speaking against the award of the contact to Virgin Care said: “This could set the precedence for other parts of the NHS to be sold off. We know private companies need to make profit, and using children’s care to do is not right. This is happening beneath people’s noses, and no one seems to know it is happening here in Bristol.”

More information about the campaign and the march can be found here – https://www.facebook.com/ProtectCCHP