Risky side-effect of NHS drug rule

Patients who "top up" NHS care by buying drugs privately could put their lives at risk, MPs warned today.

New rules allow terminally ill patients to buy medication not normally available on the health service without losing their right to NHS care.

But the Government has stipulated they must be given the drugs in a private hospital to make sure neighbouring NHS patients are not given different treatment based on their ability to pay.

However, a report from the health select committee published today said: "Moving a patient from an NHS ward to a different location for private treatment just to meet a bureaucratic requirement would not only endanger the patient's life, but is unjust."

The committee accepted plans to allow patients to buy extra drugs, rather than be refused NHS care for doing this, as was previously the case.

MP Peter Bone said: "It's quite wrong that NHS treatment should have been withdrawn, but with this you are supposed to cart the patient off to another building or hospital wing."

Kevin Barron, chairman of the committee, said: "If a patient is too vulnerable to move, what would a medical professional do? These are issues that need to be pursued."