Good news for healthcare on the Island as an investigation reveals that the Isle of Wight NHS Primary Care Trust is in the nine percent of Trusts across the country that are not rationing operations.
An investigation by GP magazine discovered that 91% of primary care trusts (PCTs) in England are limiting operations such as joint replacement, bariatric surgery and cataract surgery.
Positive results for the Island’s healthcare
The Isle of Wight NHS PCT is in the one in 10 PCTs without restrictions on such operations.
The findings reveal that elsewhere in the country patients are being made to wait for treatment until their condition deteriorates.
Restrictions across the country
About two-thirds of all PCTs responded to the Freedom of Information Request. Of the 101 PCTs that responded, 91 had measures in place to limit GP referrals for certain procedures for 2012/13. Limits on joint replacement surgery were in place in 59% of trusts, whilst 66% restrict cataract surgery and 59% limit weight-loss surgery.
89% of PCTs in England were found to restrict referrals for tonsillectomies.
Pressure across the NHS to cut costs has been the motivating factor in these restrictions that target procedures thought to be ‘non-urgent’ or of limited or ‘low clinical value’.
Variation in access to healthcare is evident across the country.
Isle of Wight in the lucky minority
Alongside just eight other PCTs, including Devon, Bradford and South Birmingham, the Isle of Wight NHS PCT is in the small minority not limiting access to such healthcare.
There are no thresholds or limitations on referrals for ‘non-urgent’ or ‘low clinical value’ operations under the policy of the Isle of Wight NHS Primary Care Trust.
Image: Alex E.Proimos under CC BY 2.0
