THE three private companies bidding to manage Hinchingbrooke Hospital will give a public presentation of their plans at an open meeting in Huntingdon on Wednesday, May 26. The three: Circle Health, Ramsay Health Care (an Australian company with no connect

THE three private companies bidding to manage Hinchingbrooke Hospital will give a public presentation of their plans at an open meeting in Huntingdon on Wednesday, May 26.

The three: Circle Health, Ramsay Health Care (an Australian company with no connection with Ramsey in Huntingdonshire) and Serco, none of which has any experience of running a general hospital, will state their case.

One of the three will be appointed by the East of England Strategic Health Authority in October and take over the running of the hospital in May next year.

The meeting, which is open to the public, is at 2pm in the Assembly Rooms at Hinchingbrooke House, Brampton Road, Huntingdon.

The SHA, which first suggested the idea of a private franchise for the hospital to the last government, has also decided to hold a meeting in St Neots after Hunts Post readers pointed out that the town - the largest in Cambridgeshire - had been left out.

That meeting will be held at Monday, July 16 at 6pm, at a venue yet to be decided.

Jonathan Djanogly has welcomed the SHA's recognition of the oversight, saying: "I had previously advised the NHS that St Neots, as the largest town in Cambridgeshire, was not being properly consulted. I am now pleased that these concerns have been addressed and the town will have a meeting.

"I am also pleased that my request for greater transparency from the bidders has been responded to. Given the importance of Hinchingbrooke Hospital to our local community, it is important that the public has confidence in any successful bidder who may emerge from this process.

"Full consultation with and maximum possible transparency to local residents will help to build the confidence required.