We, the undersigned, deplore the decision by Devon County Council and NHS Devon to commission Virgin Healthcare to run the integrated children’s service in the county. We believe that: The care of vulnerable children should be the responsibility of a public organisation, and not subject to a commercial organisation’s primary responsibility to its shareholders. Virgin Healthcare’s record running services elsewhere indicates that attacks on staff pay and conditions will place vulnerable young people at potential and increasing risk. This decision is part of a wider agenda to privatise the NHS and that this will result in a two-tier health service that will damage the health and lives of us all We call on Devon County Council and NHS Devon to reverse this decision and to make the integrated children’s service a service and not a source of private profit.