A retired NHS physiotherapist who worked at hospitals around Wiltshire expressed her disappointment at a billion-pound care services contract being awarded to a private provider.

Paula Riseborough, now living in Bath, felt compelled to write to the Swindon Advertiser after reading about HCRG Care Group being picked to provide community care services for the next two years instead of Great Western Hospital, which had previously been in charge of them.

The decision was described as "disastrous" by the UNISON union

Paula said: "As a member of campaign group Protect Our NHS BANES (and a retired NHS physiotherapist), I share the disappointment of Swindon and Wilts healthcare staff at the decision of local health commissioners to award the £1.3 billion contract for community health and care services across our area to private provider HCRG Care Group Ltd.

"The contract has been given to HCRG despite the decision of Bath & NE Somerset commissioners in 2022 not to extend HCRG’s existing contract locally because the company (formerly known as Virgin Care) failed to inform them that it had been taken over by private equity firm Twenty20 Capital until three weeks after the deal was done.

"Twenty20 states on its website that it seeks ‘high return opportunities’ – how will it obtain these high returns from publicly funded services? Will there be a reduction in staff or services over the contract period?

"Will there be protection of staff pay, terms and conditions for those transferred to HCRG from NHS teams for the duration of the contract?

"Are there any safeguards in the contract for staff and services in the event of another takeover of the company?

"This is a worrying time for local NHS trained staff, now required to transfer to HCRG. I worked at GWH Swindon, Chippenham Community Hospital and the RUH Bath during my NHS career and I look on sadly as so many highly skilled staff are faced with leaving the NHS that they have been proud to be a part of.

"It’s also a worry for patients faced with a change of provider for their community nursing, health visitors, therapy services and community hospital wards - and for all those who support a publicly funded healthcare service delivered by NHS hospitals, clinics and staff, rather than by private companies."