STAFFORDSHIRE residents rallied yesterday to oppose plans to throw a £1.2 billion cancer treatment deal into the jaws of private contractors in the “biggest single NHS privatisation” ever.

Profit-making health firms Virgin, Care UK and Ramsay Health are all in the running to take on a 10-year contract to deliver treatment and end-of-life care across the county and in Stoke on Trent.

Experts have warned that private sector firms will “pick and choose” how they treat patients in the hunt to rack up profits.

But Unison assistant general secretary and former nurse Karen Jennings joined residents last night for a Burton-on-Trent meeting to rally opposition to the plans.

Ms Jenning warned they would see a complex raft of “integral and core NHS work” handed over to inexperienced companies. 

“This is beyond a dangerous experiment. It’s treacherous — a privatisation too far even for this government,” Ms Jennings declared.

“With profit as the main driving force, how can it not lead to problems?”