"THE NHS is not for sale," shouted hundreds of campaigners who attended Saturday's protest against plans to allow a social enterprise to take over the running of Stroud General Hospital.
Protesters from Stroud Against The Cuts, who organised the march, argue the move is a step towards privatisation.
Members gave speeches outside the Sub Rooms and outlined plans to fight the transfer due to take place on October 1.
Stroud mayor John Marjoram, former Labour MP and district councillor David Drew and Tanya Palmer of Unison South West all gave impassioned pleas for a publicly owned, and publicly accountable NHS.
Responding to their arguments, Jan Stubbings, chief executive of NHS Gloucestershire, said: "NHS patients will continue to access the range of NHS funded community services that are currently available and services would be run by an organisation responsible for delivering the NHS values."
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