Andy Burnham MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, responding to a GP Magazine survey that seven out of 10 GPs believe rationing of care has increased since the government’s NHS reforms came into force in England, said:

“Labour has consistently warned that David Cameron’s re-organisation would result in a postcode lottery running riot through the NHS and this survey confirms that is exactly what is happening.

“It is simply wrong for thousands of older people to be denied the hip, knee and cataract operations they desperately need because of arbitrary, cost-based restrictions.

“Ministers promised to stop cost-based rationing of care in the NHS. Their failure to keep this promise has left older people facing the agonising choice of struggling on or paying to go private.

“In a national health service, patients should not be denied operations simply because of where they live. Ministers must overturn arbitrary rationing decisions and bring fairness back to the NHS.”