Billions of NHS money wasted on 'ineffective' operations

The NHS is being deprived of new treatments and medicines as billions of pounds have been wasted on ineffective operations and obsolete treatments.

Health Minister Andy Burnham said millions of pounds of NHS money could be saved by offering alternatives to hospital based treatments.

Burnham said money needed to be saved to reinvest in other treatments, including new medicines coming onto the market.

Mr Burnham said the NHS could not "keep adding another thing to the plate" in terms of new drugs and needed to manage its resources.

The Government has asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) to push NHS decision-makers to work with the money available to the NHS.

Earlier this year, Chief Medical Officer Liam Donaldson said unnecessary tonsillectomies and hysterectomies were costing the NHS £21 million a year, despite other options being available.

Mr Burnham said today that one example was being able to offer renal patients home haemodialysis instead of in a hospital.

In 2002, just 2 per cent of patients received haemodialysis at home but 10-15 per cent of patients, given the choice, would opt for it, he said.

Figures showed that if the number of patients receiving home dialysis increased to 15 per cent then the potential saving was £9.7 million.

Mr Burnham and Nice chief executive Andrew Dillon insisted the move was not about compromising care to patients but about providing the best treatment.

NHS Trusts will be able to keep the cash at a local level for reinvestment in new treatments.