New Labour NHS trusts delay treatment to save money

Hospitals have been told to delay operations to reduce debts faced by primary care trusts, it has emerged.

They are reportedly trying to postpone paying for operations until the new financial year in April.

But the Government has washed its hands of the practice, saying it was an "operational issue for the local NHS".

It comes a day after Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt admitted the health service could be facing a deficit of £620 million.

A letter leaked to the Times newspaper reveals hospitals within Harrow Primary Care Trust, which is reportedly facing an £8-12 million deficit, have been told to delay surgery. The document, written by Dr Ken Walton, chairman of the trust's Professional Executive Committee, tells GPs it has "reluctantly" asked hospitals to "do the minimum required to meet national targets". It says: "This means that patients sent for outpatient appointments will only be seen at 10-13 weeks (national target 13 weeks) and elective surgery will be delayed until the sixth month (national target six months)."

In a statement to the newspaper the trust defended its policy. It said: "Harrow PCT is taking action to control its expenditure that will not affect the quality of care given to its patients. All patients in Harrow will be seen within national targets."

The Guardian reported similar practices being taken to save money at trusts elsewhere in the country. The newspaper said the University Hospital of North Staffordshire in Stoke-on-Trent had been told it must stop operating on women needing gynaecological treatment who had been on its waiting lists for only two months. Peter Blythin, chief executive of the hospital, told the newspaper: "The PCTs have asked us not to treat any of their patients whose surgery was due to go ahead sooner than the target."

The Guardian also reported that in London, Hammersmith and Fulham Primary Care Trust had agreed a business plan that slowed down treatment.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said it did not take a view on whether the primary care trusts should be saving money in this way.

In a statement, the department said: "This is an operational issue for the local NHS. The NHS has made substantial progress in reducing waiting times for most types of hospital referral. Investment and reform are working - the waiting list is at a record low and patients are experiencing the fastest ever access to NHS treatment. By the end of this year no one will wait longer than six months for any operation and the NHS is on track to meet the commitment that by 2008 no one will wait for than 18 weeks from GP referral to operation."