GP surgeries in the Maldon District are urging patients to opt for private healthcare insurance in a bid to cut NHS costs.

GPs at the Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group, which include The Blackwater and Longfield Medical Centres in Maldon and The Burnham Surgery, were instructed in November last year to ask all patients needing surgery if they have private healthcare insurance.

They then tell patients who are considering it to pay for their operations.

Getting more patients to opt for private healthcare insurance could potentially save the NHS millions of pounds.

However, Trevor Fernandes, co-chairman of the Blackwater Patient Participation Group, believes other NHS resources would be more worthy of funding.

He said: “I and the other group members can understand the option for private healthcare insurance in the case of patient emergency. If someone needs a serious operation and no one is available, we have to get someone in to help them.

“What we worry about is the effect it could have if it becomes imprinted on the NHS and used more regularly. It’s potentially damaging to the nature of the service.

“It’s quite baffling that private healthcare insurance can be funded by the NHS. If they have the funds for that, surely they would be able to fund other NHS resources.

“For example, Health Education England is a body that helps train the NHS workforce, they’ve only recently started properly, but they should have got going at least five years ago. The funds could go to them.”

A spokesperson for the Mid Essex CCG said: “Like other parts of the NHS, Mid Essex CCG is managing demands for services that are rising faster than the funds available.

“Challenges are particularly significant in mid and south Essex, one of the three areas in England identified for particular support at a national level. But that in no way compromises the CCG’s commitment to the principles of the NHS Constitution, which include healthcare available to all based on clinical need.

“The request we made of our GPs about conversations with patients was specifically to ensure patients were aware of all the choices available to them.”

A British Medical Association spokesman said: “Every patient should have access to free, effective care from the NHS and should not be left with their only option being to pay fees for their treatment, which many vulnerable patients may struggle to afford.”