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Serco confirms clinical health contract exit

GREEDY outsourcing behemoth Serco confirmed its total exit from scandal-hit clinical health contracts in a statement to investors yesterday.

The sprawling firm which has hoovered up billions in publicly funded contracts in nearly every sector signalled its retreat from front-line NHS care following a “further review of the costs” and “onerous” contract demands.

Its decision casts fresh doubt on Tory plans to parcel England’s entire health service up to private subcontractors.

Serco had already handed back the keys to Cornwall out-of-hours GP services and Braintree Community Hospital.

The company signalled that despite cuts and changes it had not been able to turn a profit.

Its Cornwall service was notorious for understaffing and saw GPs replaced with lower-paid, lesser trained staff.

Managers were also exposed for lying to hide “unsafe” levels of cover on 252 occasions.

Serco said it would see out a third contract in Suffolk set to end next year before making a “withdrawal from this market.”

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