ELLA Vine from Thurrock took an NHS petition to Downing Street. The petition had over 100,000 signatures.
The half a mile long petition to the Prime Minister was delivered by campaigners from across the country.
The petition calls on the government to protect the NHS from further privatisation and from TTIP, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, which would see handing over parts of the NHS to U.S. private companies.
The number of signatures under the petition means that now it must be debated in the Parliament.
Ella Vine said: ‘’This is a serious issue. The NHS was founded on the principle that will offer free and adequate care to all.
"Further privatisation will deepen postcode lottery where the level of service we receive depends on where we live and how much we can afford to pay. Additionally, private healthcare providers do not have to abide to NICE healthcare standards, which require only NHS services to refer to them. The ethics of selling off the publicly-owned NHS to foreign companies also raises many questions.
"Earlier in the summer we collected almost 2, 500 signatures under the petition in Thurrock. The national petition has over 100, 000 signatures and I hope it will be debated in the Parliament and that the voice of the people will be respected. It was a privilege to carry the petition – the democratic will of Thurrock’s residents to the Prime Minister.
"There were many disabled and chronically ill people campaigning with us, who depend on the NHS every day. All of us depend on the NHS. Our health is the most important treasure and we appreciate it all too well when we are unwell.
" Let’s not give up and do not let politicians to sell off one of our last left and most precious public services’’.
