The medical director for the NHS has said that one in seven hospital procedures are not necessary and the “over treatment” of patients wastes a large amount of money each year.
Senior doctor, Sir Bruce Keogh described the wastage in the NHS as “profligate”.
Officials at NHS England has said that unnecessary medication and operations are costing the NHS up to £1.8 billion a year. The amount would be enough to pay the wages of all ambulance staff for three years.
The analysis by Sir Bruce Keogh also suggest that one one seven women were having unnecessary hysterectomy (which is the equivalent to about 6,600 hysterectomy per year).
The NHS England's analysis had also estimated that more than one in 20 hospital admissions were a waste of money; that is about 850,000 out of 15 million hospital admissions.
