Skin clinic offers cosmetic help outside scope of NHS

A NEW clinic offering the public dermatology treatment which is not normally available on the NHS is being launched at Harrogate District Hospital.

Treatments include the removal of cosmetic ‘lumps and bumps’ such as moles, warts and skin tags; mole screening using scanning technology and injections to reduce excess underarm sweating.

Patients pay to use the clinic’s services but all income generated is put back into local NHS services. The clinic is led by a consultant and has specialist dermatology nurses.

Dermatologist Kay Baxter said: “This clinic has been developed to fill a genuine gap in patient service provision. The local NHS has been unable to fund treatments classed as cosmetic since early 2003.

“This is because priority is given to advances in technology and essential treatments for more serious conditions such as skin cancer and difficult chronic skin disease.”

Dr Baxter said patients were understanding about why the treatments were not available on the NHS. “Many of them, however, still wish to access these treatments, and are delighted to be able to do so at an affordable price, while supporting their local hospital at the same time.”

The clinic is making a donation to the British Skin Foundation – a charitable trust – from its income and patients do not need a GP referral. For more information phone 01423 553345 or visit e www.hddft.nhs.uk