Health chiefs must stop arbitrary cap on treatment

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley is today announcing a ban on minimum NHS waiting times and an end to arbitrary rationing of some treatments.

The move follows a highly-critical investigation by the Co-operation and Competition Panel (CCP) which warned some primary care trusts (PCTs) were setting minimum waiting times to control costs.

The practice will be banned from April. Any PCT found to be in breach will face intervention, with bosses potentially facing the sack.

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The CCP found PCTs were setting minimum waiting times of up to 15 weeks in the hope some patients would go private or die before needing treatment. Some were also imposing arbitrary caps on treatment if numbers of patients exceeded a threshold.

The practices date back a number of years, although there is evidence it has been stepped up as the squeeze on NHS finances begins to bite. From April 2013, decisions about treatment will be made by clinically-led commissioning groups headed by GPs.

Mr Lansley said: “For too long, Labour turned a blind eye to unfair practices within the NHS which harmed patients. No right-thinking person could possibly understand how anyone could delay a patient’s treatment unnecessarily.

“If patients need treatment, they should get it as soon as possible, and where they choose.”

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David Worskett, director of the NHS Partners Network which represents private providers, welcomed the move.

He said: “Imposing minimum waiting times was misguided, highly undesirable and almost never in the interest of patients, providers, or indeed PCTs.”

PCT Network head of commissioning policy Elizabeth Wade said decisions on patient care should not be taken arbitrarily but as the NHS sought to save £20bn in the next four years, tough decisions would be needed and these could include reducing access to treatments of limited benefit or increasing waiting times.

“If the Government intends to take action to prevent commissioners being able to take such decisions about local priorities, it must set out clearly how and under what circumstances such action will be taken and acknowledge the impact this will have on PCTs, and new clinical commissioners’ ability to plan services for their communities,” she said.

“Changing commissioning structures will not change the financial pressures on the NHS and these difficult decisions are not going to go away.”

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