Minor surgery under the knife as cuts hit NHS

The move by chiefs at NHS Sheffield is among the first signs in the region of a significant deterioration in health service finances despite pledges by Ministers to ring-fence it from cuts.

A massive 30 per cent overspend on the costs in Sheffield of continuing care for the long-term frail and sick and an unexpected increase in unscheduled hospital care has left the city's health chiefs facing a 11m deficit.

The problems have emerged despite a generous settlement for the NHS in 2010-11 but ahead of lower funding in coming years.

There are already concerns that growing numbers of NHS trusts could lurch into deficit in coming months and years as managers cope with reduced funding at the same time as implementing Government plans to hand 80bn of NHS funding to GPs.

They have imposed curbs on access to a range of pain treatments for common conditions including lower back pain and joint complaints, as well as non-urgent minor operations to remove tonsils, fit ear grommets, carry out routine hysterectomies and tackle varicose veins and lower back problems.

Patients currently being treated will be reassessed.

If doctors believe there are good reasons for them to continue receiving care they must apply for funding for the treatments to a panel set up by NHS officials.

NHS officials in Sheffield say they have been forced to make the "very difficult" decision due to their worsening financial position, claiming they needed an extra 20m in additional funding in the 12 months to March just to stand still.

Alan Carter, vice-chairman of Sheffield Local Involvement Network which represents patients, said he was disappointed the decision had been taken without consultation.

"We are all aware that cuts are imminent and are going to affect people detrimentally and can understand why these areas have been selected in having the least impact," he said.

"We might have expected to be involved in giving our views on what is planned before we heard the news announced. It is a concern this is the thin end of the wedge."

GP Zak McMurray, who is joint clinical executive chair at NHS Sheffield, said: "We can confirm that we intend to no longer routinely provide funding for some pain management treatments and a small number of non-urgent surgical procedures, unless there is strong clinical evidence a patient will benefit from them.

"We are in the process of putting this change in place with the different local hospitals from which we commission services.

"Our decision is based on advice and guidance from national research which shows there is little recognised evidence that the treatments are always beneficial for patients.

"The decision has been made as we look at ways in which we can tackle the financial challenges the city's NHS faces. It has been a very difficult decision and has only been made after discussing the implications with clinical advisors," he said.

"We're doing a number of things to tackle the 11m potential overspend we face, including work to transform services so that they are more cost effective, reduce hospital stays and offer more care nearer to home."