NHS England set to halt 'ineffective' treatments

New plans being drawn up by NHS England include offering fewer patients surgery to remove tonsils, carry out breast reductions and stop snoring.

As part of proposals to stop or reduce 17 routine procedures deemed to be ‘ineffective or risky’, NHS England claims the decision would affect about 100,000 people every year and free up an estimated £200 million for care in other areas.

With treatment only to be offered if it is judged to be of ‘compelling’ benefit and without alternatives, opposition to the plans has been rooted around patient safety and that belief that cutting back on certain procedures would cost the economy more as people would be unable to work without surgery.

However, NHS England maintains that, for most of the 17 procedures under consideration, alternative treatments including physiotherapy, a minor injection or change of diet are likely to be effective. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which advises on the clinical benefits and cost-effectiveness of treatments, has supported this line off thinking.

Professor Stephen Powis said: "If we want the very best clinical care for our patients, we need to stop putting them through treatments where risks and harms outweigh the benefits. By reducing unnecessary or risky procedures for some patients we can get better outcomes while reducing waste and targeting resource to where it is most needed."

Other surgeries set to be offered less include the removal of benign skin lesions, haemorrhoid surgery, removal of bone spurs for shoulder pain, chalazia removal and trigger finger release.