A BATTLE to save an NHS depot from privatisation has been delt a heavy blow by the Governement’s decision to continue handover negotiations.

About 300 workers from the NHS Logistics depot at the 20/20 business park in Allington, Maidstone, say they fear for their jobs and the quality of medical supplies in Kent if plans go ahead to replace the service with that of private company DHL.

In a letter to Chatham and Aylesford MP Jonathan Shaw (Lab) this week, Health Minister Jane Kennedy said DHL and its partner company Novation had presented a 'comprehensive and well argued business case’ and had given the Department of Health 'no justification’ not to proceed with negotiations.

A final decision is expected by the end of May.

Only last month, staff presented a 2,000-signature petition outlining their concerns to the minister.

Maidstone depot worker Paul Harper condemned the decision saying: “ If NHS Logistics is outsourced we believe there is a possibility of price increases, reduncancies and service cuts.

“People here are proud to say they work for the NHS and we would like it to stay that way.”

Workers union Unison, said it saw the privatisation as 'risky and premature’ and industrial action could not be ruled out.

Mr Shaw said: “I have supported the staff at Maidstone since day one and while it is not my wish to see this centre outsourced I have been assured by Jane Kennedy that the depot will remain open and redundancies kept to a minimum.”