CAMPAIGNERS seeking to protect the NHS from privatisation were disappointed on Friday, when plans to put pressure on their local MP were thwarted.

Protestors from People's NHS Wales in Pembrokeshire were outside Stephen Crabb’s planned surgery in Milford Haven to ask the Preseli-Pembrokeshire MP and Secretary of State for Wales to exclude the NHS from the controversial Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership - known as TTIP.

There are concerns that TTIP - which seeks to reduce the regulatory barriers to trade for big business - will allow American firms to take over parts of the NHS, leading to eventual privatisation.

However, unknown to the group, Mr Crabb had cancelled the surgery earlier in the week to attend ministerial business, which included a visit to north Wales with Chancellor George Osborne.

People's NHS Wales campaigner Lee Jones said: “We want Mr Crabb to pass on to David Cameron the need to safeguard the NHS against privatisation.

“We want the NHS to stay in public hands, for the use of everyone, no matter what they earn.

“We believe it should be properly funded from Westminster, and be excluded from TTIP.”

Local campaigners say they have written to Mr Crabb and asked to meet with him to discuss the exemption of the NHS from TTIP negotiations, but have had no response.

"People's NHS Wales have also requested to meet him on many occasions but he has refused to meet the campaign group as well as the constituents of Pembrokeshire to discuss this most serious of issues,” added a spokesman for the group.

Mr Crabb told the Western Telegraph he was sorry he was unable to meet with campaigners, and urged anyone who would like to meet with him to make an appointment.

"Everyone who had been booked into the surgery had been notified on Wednesday that it would not be taking place due to urgent ministerial responsibilities,” he said.

"I am very happy to meet with any individual or group in my constituency to discuss any issue of concern and everybody who writes to me receives a reply."