The 'postcode lottery' debate on NHS cancer treatment is the tip of the iceberg, according to a thin...
The 'postcode lottery' debate on NHS cancer treatment is the tip of the iceberg, according to a think tank study.
The research, NHS Spending - Local Variations in Priorities: An Update from The King's Fund, outlines the differences in spending undertaken by Primary Care Trusts (PCT) to treat different conditions.
The think tank found that Islington PCT spent over 4.5 (£474) times more on mental health per head than East Rising of Yorkshire PCT (£103).
Professor John Appleby, one of the authors of the report, said: "This latest analysis reveals that the widespread variations in PCT spending on different diseases have remained relatively unchanged over the past three years. Even when legitimate reasons for variations in spending are taken into account PCTs spend varying amounts on cancer, coronary heart disease, mental health and a range of other diseases."
