The privatisation of a Greenwich health service has been halted after an outcry from NHS campaigners.

Muscularskeletal (MSK) services were to be run by Circle Health who last year ended their contract to run Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Cambridgeshire early due to falling standards.

MSK disorders are any injury or disease relating to muscles, bones or joints and Circle Health were awarded the five year contract to run the service for a population of around 276, 000.

The Greenwich branch of the Keep Our NHS Public (KONP) group criticized the decision alongside Save Lewisham Hospital campaigners.

Now Greenwich CCG will have to produce an independent impact assessment report on the effect on the Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust of giving the £73 million 5-year contract to a private company before the plans can continue.

Eltham MP Clive Efford made a speech at Greenwich Council's Health Scrutiny Committee on Thursday, November 3, calling for the privatisation plans to be scrapped entirely.

In a statement he said: “There is nothing that the commissioners want to achieve to make services more efficient that cannot be achieved through partnerships with local NHS health providers.

"We do not need to go through this expensive and wasteful process."

News Shopper has contacted Greenwich CCG for comment.

Circle Health declined to comment.