SO much for a "national" health service. An investigation by The Press today reveals that you could be denied NHS treatment that is freely available to your neighbour next door.
This shocking postcode health lottery is all because of the massive debt faced by health bosses in North Yorkshire.
Other than in exceptional cases, they are refusing to fund treatments such as IVF, back pain injections and bunion operations, that health bosses in Leeds and East Yorkshire are quite happy to pay for.
Whether you can get these treatments depends on whether you are registered with a GP funded by the North Yorkshire Primary Care Trust - or one funded by the Leeds or East Yorkshire trusts.
In some communities, such as Tadcaster, Wilberfoss and Kexby that are on the borders between trusts, therefore, whether you are entitled to treatment will depend on which GP you are registered with. If your neighbour is registered with a different doctor, he may well be able to get treatment denied to you.
This is a shocking indictment of our health system and a complete betrayal of the principle of equal access to health care the NHS was set up to provide.
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