NHS Care 'rationed'

The data from trusts in England suggests that access to NHS care, including knee and hip operations, is to be restricted. The evidence was gathered under the Freedom of Information Act by GP magazine. It showed 90% of trusts were imposing restrictions. Trusts have blamed these restrictions on cost-cutting, but the government says there was no justification for that claim.

Two-thirds of the 151 trusts responded to the magazine’s survey about the procedures they considered to be non-urgent. NHS managers have defended the practice, saying that in some circumstances care had to be prioritised. Many argue the NHS should concentrate its resources in most cases on other, more serious conditions.

Dr Richard Vautrey, of the British Medical Association said, "Patients fully understand the NHS doesn't have unlimited resources... but they don't understand, or believe it's fair, when services are provided in one area but not another. We're supposed to have a national health service, so there should be national consistency in service availability." (BBC News, June, 12)

However, there are those who believe trusts have to prioritise care in the current economic climate. The NHS faces the same problems we are all currently facing, considerable financial pressures and scarce resources that must be used as effectively as possible.

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