Hospital strapped for cash may offer radiotherapy facilities to pets

Oct 31 2006

A British hospital has come under attack over its plans to earn desperately needed cash, by offering its radiotherapy facilities for the treatment of pets suffering from cancer.

Ipswich Hospital, in Suffolk, England, has debts of over £24 million ($40 million) and came up with the idea of offering its radiotherapy facilities for treating pets.

The hospital equipment which remains idle at weekends could bring in as much £50,000 ($90,000) per year and the hospital says patients would not lose out, as the pets would be treated during hours when patients are not there anyway.

However the Patients Association, are appalled by the proposal and are against the idea of treating animals where people are treated and hope the proposal never becomes implemented.

The pet plan is 1 of 700 plans thought up by staff who say the risk of infection would be zero.

The plan would mean the hospital would work with a local veterinary college and strict infection control procedures would be used.

Andrew Lansley, Shadow Health Secretary has questioned why Ipswich Hospital's NHS equipment could not be fully occupied providing services to human patients and has criticized the governments financial mismanagement which are driving hospitals to desperate such measures, in order to make ends meet.

The suggestion has been welcomed as "an excellent idea" by the RSPCA but a spokeswoman for Unison, which represents many hospital workers, has said that hospitals should stick to treating sick humans.