Text of a leaflet handed out, by campaigners outside Virgin Media on Clumber Street as part of the Save Our NHS Day of Action.

The Government's plans for the NHS have been widely criticised by healthcare professionals, campaigners and even the LibDem spring conference. However, not everybody is opposed to the governments plans to open the NHS up to private companies. Indeed some people stand to do very well out of the plans Chief among them is Richard Branson's Virgin Group.

An investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism in June (http://tinyurl.com/6jpqg9c) revealed that 10% of board members of the 52 "pathfinder" GP consortia, were also directors of private healthcare providers. More than 60% of those with private links were associated with a company called Assura Medical, which is 75% owned by Virgin Healthcare, part of the Virgin Group.

Virgin are by no means the only company likely to do well out of the governments plans for the NHS, but they are particularly well-placed to capitalise on the impacts of the Health and Social Care Bill which will open much of the NHS up to the private sector.

This isn't Virgin's first attempt to get chummy with GPs in order to promote private interference in the NHS. IN 2008, Virgin Healthcare announced plans to open healthcare centres across the UK. A tour was organised to promote the ventures, but was dogged by protests (including one in Nottingham in front of the Castle).

Given their role in the privatised rail network do we want Virgin to get their greedy mitts on our health service? Unless we act now to stop the Health and Social Care Bill currently making its way through Parliament this may very well be what happens.