Letter offers patients private treatment

The medical profession has reacted with concern after a practice in York wrote to patients offering them a range of minor treatments which they could pay for privately, as they were not funded by the local NHS.

The group of GPs in Haxby offered over eight procedures, including removal of skin tags and treatment for benign tumours at their practice. A list of other private providers was also included.

Some medical professionals have spoken out about the danger of offering private treatments to patients. Royal College of GPs chairman Dr Clare Gerada said: “We believe that the boundary between what a GP offers under their NHS provision, and what is offered for a private fee, is in danger of becoming increasingly blurred.

“The NHS works because patients trust their doctors. This is especially so with GPs, and is something we cannot allow to be diminished.”

Dr Richard Vautrey of the British Medical Association told the BBC: “The dire finances of many trusts means that many more NHS treatments are likely to become unavailable in the future.

“The BMA is very concerned by the potential conflicts of interest that this example exposes. The last thing any GP wants is to see patient trust damaged.

“Unfortunately the direction of travel in NHS policy, particularly combined with the financial situation, does increase the risk of conflicts of interest for GPs which is one the reasons the BMA is so concerned about the Health and Social Care Bill.”

However, the Department of Health asserted that the upcoming changes to the NHS would not make this more likely, and criticised the way the information was delivered