Postcode lottery fears over reforms

Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham condemned the Haxby Group Practice, which is already facing questions from health bosses after writing to patients inviting them to pay for surgery which it said was no longer funded by their local primary care trust (PCT).

One of four companies it listed as offering the treatments is wholly owned by the practice, based at Haxby and Wigginton Health Centre, near York.

Mr Burnham, who is leading Labour’s attack on controversial Government reforms to the health service that will see more power for GPs, said: “That vision is precisely what the Government want to do to our NHS. It is a terrifying glimpse of a Tory NHS in future — not a national health service but a postcode lottery writ large, in which, as we read today, random rationing is taking place around the country.”

NHS North Yorkshire and York PCT bosses have already said they had “significant concerns” about the letter which was sent out this summer and were investigating.

The move has prompted fears of a conflict of interest for GPs who could profit from promoting private treatment to patients.

But Health Minister Paul Burstow accused Labour of spreading “more myths and misconceptions” about the Government’s reforms and said there was a code of conduct for the promotion of NHS-funded services, which prevents providers from directly or indirectly seeking or accepting from any of their patients payment or other remuneration for any treatment.

“As a result, the PCT is questioning that clinic about how it has used patient information and will continue to pursue the matter,” he said.