Protesters will launch a campaign against the privatisation of Oxford's largest hospital development on Wednesday, September 5.

Members of the public sector workers' union Unison will hold a meeting to discuss plans to use a Private Finance Initiative to fund new buildings at the Headington-based John Radcliffe.

The scheme will involve a private firm paying for the £90m centre, and the NHS will then pay the money back over 30 years - effectively a mortgage

It will pay for buildings that will house some of the services, including ear, nose and throat, and opthalmology, currently based at the Radcliffe Infirmary.

At tomorrow's meeting, at Oxford Town Hall, speakers from the county's health service will campaign against the move, claiming the NHS will be forced to use valuable cash to pay back the firm.

Mark Ladbrooke, branch chairman of Unison and a representative of Oxfordshire PFI Alert Group, said: "Public money only seems to be available for regular payments to the private consortia who are legally guaranteed first priority on all NHS funding for decades to come."

Ancillary staff, like cleaners, porters and maintenance workers, would be employed by the landlord.

Bryan Nichols, Unison convenor at the JR, said: "Staff who have been transferred in the past have lost pension rights and have seen the steady erosion of their working conditions."

But Andrew Smith, Oxford East MP and Chief Secretary to the Treasury, insisted partnership programmes such as PFI were "essential" to revitalise the nation's infrastructure.

He added: "We will continue to improve the standards of service for patients and all other citizens who rely on effective public services and take what further steps are required to guarantee fair treatment to staff."

The meeting will take place at 7.30pm.