Will a multinational construction firm be given prime land and allowed to shut down a hospital to make way for building luxury flats and houses? New Labour health secretary Alan Milburn gave the go-ahead last month to the biggest Private Finance Initiative scheme in the NHS at east London's Royal London Hospital.
As part of the scheme cardiac services at the London Chest Hospital will be moved to Barts Hospital. Campaigners fear the PFI firm will be allowed to use the prime land the Chest Hospital stands on for luxury developments. The local Socialist Alliance is making opposition to the PFI scheme a central part of its May election campaign.