"PUBLIC health, not private wealth". That was the chant from protestors who took to the streets of Lyming-ton on Saturday to get their campaign against the privatisation of the NHS noticed.
The event was organised by public services union UNISON as part of the nationwide NHS Together Day of Action and were attended by healthcare workers and supporters.
About 100 protesters marched through Lymington up the High Street during the bustling market.
Waving flags, brandishing banners, blowing whistles and chanting, they did not fail to get noticed.
The protest was against the privatisation of the new Lymington New Forest Hospital, which was officially opened by HRH Princess Anne in February.
Psychiatric community nurse David Prout, UNISON branch secretary, said: "Today is the start of making the public aware of saving the NHS. Over a number of years, we have been losing parts of the health service to the private sector.
"The private sector will cream off profitable activities, such as hip operations or cataract operations, but will not provide a rounded public health service."
Dave Prentis, UNISON's secretary general, said: "We now have an obscene situation where hospitals must spend money competing with one another to attract patients instead of spending it on patient care."
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