Letter: Going private does not help NHS

THERE IS a fallacy at the heart of Peter and Sue Jones's argument that those who "choose to pay" for an operation "speed up" treatment for someone on the NHS waiting list (Letters, 31 October).

The surgeon who carries out the private operation will, in consequence, be able to do one fewer on the NHS. Indeed it will very often be the same surgeon operating on the same Mr Smith, earlier rather than later. Even the busiest surgeon cannot be in two operating theatres at once, and paying for his services does not make any extra resources available.

HARVEY R COLE

Winchester, Hampshire