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Campaigners protest outside Royal Cornwall Hospital

A mass protest has been held at the Royal Cornwall Hospital over the privatisation of services.

Campaigners gathered at Treliske calling for an end to what they call the selling off of services.

They're handing in an 11,000 signature petition to board members today ahead of a key board meeting.

The Royal Cornwall Hospital's Trust will be discussing plans to use a private firm to help run pathology services. It says it would involve using a private laboratory, but staff would remain within the NHS.

One health campaigner Bernie Rowe, who suffers from Crohn's Disease told ITV News she has experienced a decline in care.

If I have to go in for bowel surgery I'm scared, I'm literally scared for my life, and that's no exaggeration when you look at how bad the cutbacks are, the staff don't have time, and the morale with the staff, they don't want to be harsh to patients, they don't want to be short with patients, they don't have the time to spend with them.

– Bernie Rowe

The Hospital have responded to the campaign.

We do understand the concerns of staff and of the public, and we understand those concerns in the context of outsourcing hotel services last year. We're absolutely clear about the benefits and the risks that come from each of the options, and we will be taking those into account and that will include reputation and that will include how our staff will feel impacted by those changes.

– Bill Shields, Royal Cornwall Hospital's Trust