NHS 'postcode lottery'

Patients in England may be denied treatment because of a "postcode lottery" that leaves some areas with up to four times more cash to spend on certain illnesses, a study has warned.

The research by think tank the King's Fund found that those suffering from mental health problems, heart disease, and cancer are the most affected, and argued that the "stark differences" in spending in over 300 primary care trusts (PCTs) could only be partly explained by differing needs.

Islington PCT was found to have spent £406 on mental health treatment per person – seven times more than Bracknall Forest, which spent only £56 in 2004-5. The report also said that spending on heart disease and cancer varied three and four times respectively.

Campaigners from the charity sector have condemned the spending variations, but the NHS has defended the system on the grounds that it is based on differing health needs across the country.

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