Five private companies with NHS cataract contracts worth £536 million extracted 32% profits (£169 million) in 2023-24. As health secretary under Blair, he had pushed for NHS privatisation and later went on to direct Ribero Salud, the private accountable care organisation in Spain. The impact of NHS privatisation has been greater cost for services, compromised patient safety, widened health inequality, and negative impact on NHS staffing and training. Then there is charging for, rationing of, or withdrawal of NHS services. Further information:Privatisation of the NHS a Briefing by Keep Our NHS Public Keep Our NHS Public, campaigning on the NHS since 2005Dr Tony O’Sullivan is a retired NHS paediatrician, co-chair of Keep Our NHS PublicImage credit: Garry Knight – Creative Commons