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Drug sales NHS trust criticised Drug sales NHS trust criticised
(about 24 hours later)
A Surrey NHS Trust has been criticised after it emerged a cancer drug it sold abroad is now in short-supply.A Surrey NHS Trust has been criticised after it emerged a cancer drug it sold abroad is now in short-supply.
Parliamentary candidates for Guildford said the Royal Surrey Hospital Trust was wrong to export drugs for profit.Parliamentary candidates for Guildford said the Royal Surrey Hospital Trust was wrong to export drugs for profit.
One of the cancer drugs the trust was selling has now been placed on a list of medicines that are deemed hard to get hold of in England.One of the cancer drugs the trust was selling has now been placed on a list of medicines that are deemed hard to get hold of in England.
The trust said there was "absolutely no evidence" to suggest its practices had contributed to the shortage.The trust said there was "absolutely no evidence" to suggest its practices had contributed to the shortage.
Conservative Anne Milton has written to the trust's chief executive seeking reassurances the practice will not happen again.Conservative Anne Milton has written to the trust's chief executive seeking reassurances the practice will not happen again.
She said: "The Royal Surrey's job is to treat patients and not to make money, it is not acceptable for the NHS or the Royal Surrey to put profit before patient care."She said: "The Royal Surrey's job is to treat patients and not to make money, it is not acceptable for the NHS or the Royal Surrey to put profit before patient care."
Sue Doughty said the hospital should not be selling drugsSue Doughty said the hospital should not be selling drugs
"The Royal Surrey does an excellent job looking after local people and it needs to continue to do what it does well and stop this sort of activity that can be so damaging.""The Royal Surrey does an excellent job looking after local people and it needs to continue to do what it does well and stop this sort of activity that can be so damaging."
Liberal Democrat Sue Doughty said she would also be seeking reassurances the sales had not led to a shortage of cancer drugs.Liberal Democrat Sue Doughty said she would also be seeking reassurances the sales had not led to a shortage of cancer drugs.
She said: "It's not what they should be doing. They should be meeting budgets through efficiencies not through drugs sales."She said: "It's not what they should be doing. They should be meeting budgets through efficiencies not through drugs sales."
Labour's Tim Shands said: "'I don't think an NHS hospital should be selling drugs abroad. Labour's Tim Shand said: "'I don't think an NHS hospital should be selling drugs abroad.
"It should be concentrating on looking on after patients rather than fringe activities such as this." "It should be concentrating on looking after patients rather than fringe activities such as this."
The trust was criticised by the Department of Health in February when it confirmed it had made a £300,000 profit from the trade during the previous year.The trust was criticised by the Department of Health in February when it confirmed it had made a £300,000 profit from the trade during the previous year.
Tim Shands said the trust should concentrate on looking after patientsTim Shands said the trust should concentrate on looking after patients
The list of drugs being sold was revealed on Wednesday in the Health Service Journal (HSJ) after a freedom of information request.The list of drugs being sold was revealed on Wednesday in the Health Service Journal (HSJ) after a freedom of information request.
The HSJ said the trust sold 240 packs of the cancer drug imatinib between May and October 2009. Less than a month later, in November 2009, the drug was listed as being in short supply.The HSJ said the trust sold 240 packs of the cancer drug imatinib between May and October 2009. Less than a month later, in November 2009, the drug was listed as being in short supply.
A spokeswoman for the trust said it was "misleading" to suggest it had sold drugs on the short-supply list.A spokeswoman for the trust said it was "misleading" to suggest it had sold drugs on the short-supply list.
The last order for imatinib - also known as Glivec - was sent out on 14 October and the drug was listed as being in short supply on 6 November, she said.The last order for imatinib - also known as Glivec - was sent out on 14 October and the drug was listed as being in short supply on 6 November, she said.
She said: "In the two months prior to that only small quantities were sold. There is also absolutely no evidence to suggest that the trust has played a part in creating a shortage of drugs."She said: "In the two months prior to that only small quantities were sold. There is also absolutely no evidence to suggest that the trust has played a part in creating a shortage of drugs."
The candidates announced for Guildford are: Lib Dem: Sue Doughty; UK Independence Party: Mazhar Manzoor; Conservative: Anne Milton; The Peace Party: John Morris; Green Party: John Pletts; Labour: Tim Shand.The candidates announced for Guildford are: Lib Dem: Sue Doughty; UK Independence Party: Mazhar Manzoor; Conservative: Anne Milton; The Peace Party: John Morris; Green Party: John Pletts; Labour: Tim Shand.