Prolonging the agony
Operations could be halted for four months to save cash
Patients needing non-emergency operations could face being refused treatment for four months as an NHS funding crisis bites.
The move to restrict procedures until April 17 is likely to affect those with chronic conditions and includes hip and knee surgery, some forms of heart operations and hernia repairs. It is one way the NHS in west Kent is looking to deal with a £4 million financial black hole. Other measures being considered include limiting couples to one cycle of IVF, cutting cash for hip and back pain treatments and telling doctors not to prescribe over-the-counter medication, such as painkillers.
Patients waiting for routine procedures such as knee replacements and cataract surgery could face being refused treatment for four months as the NHS looks to plug a financial black hole.
This week, health chiefs at the West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which buys healthcare in the area, said they could not continue paying for all NHS services.
Its governing body backed proposals to reduce the number of non-urgent surgical procedures to avoid a £4 million overspend.
Until April 17, the number of non-urgent procedures, including hip surgery, hernia repair and some heart operations will be reduced at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust and private hospitals.
Patients who have dates for operations within the next six weeks will not lose their appointments.
But the NHS says it is paying more money for routine surgery than it planned for. The move to reduce procedures until April will bring planned care back to within budget – but this will be cold comfort to thousands of patients facing an uncertain Christmas.
CCG chairman Dr Bob Bowes said failure to act would only delay the inevitable and likely see deeper and bigger cuts next year.
He said: “We have looked very carefully at what we can do that will have the least impact on patients.
“As with all such restrictions, there will of course be exceptions dealt with on a case-by-case basis by a specialist panel.”
The board also agreed to stop funding all sterilisation and ban the hospital trust from outsourcing planned treatment to the private sector – a move that alone would save £2.1 million. Bosses will also conduct a wider review the amount of work being given to the independent sector.
Other controversial measures, which need further consultation, include limiting women to one cycle of IVF, where previously they could have two at a cost to the NHS of £3,250 each.
There are also plans to restrict access to cataract operations on a longer-term basis.
Patients could also be told to lose weight and stop smoking before they can have an operation and GPs would be told to stop prescribing over-the-counter medicines, including painkillers, except in exceptional circumstances.
Access to food supplements and some forms of treatment held to be of limited clinical value could be restricted, and funding for some back and hip pain treatments could also be axed.