A HEALTH union is claiming that the North- East NHS is having to switch funds from frontline services to cover the rocketing price of drugs.

Estephanie Dunn, northern region operational manager for the Royal College of Nursing, said: “We fear that money is being directed away from frontline care and redirected into the drugs budget. This is to cover drug inflation, which is running at approximately ten per cent a year.

“This is significantly more than headline inflation.

It appears that trusts are robbing Peter to pay Paul, and this is not protecting the frontline.”

The criticism by the Royal College follows a broadside earlier this year in which the union claimed that the NHS in the northern region – which includes the North- East and Cumbria – is being asked to make £800m in savings.

The Royal College says this will result in the loss of 1,750 healthcare jobs and a reduction of more than 400 hospital beds.

David Stout, acting chief executive at NHS North-East, said: “The Government has already committed to increasing the NHS budget in real terms – the current budget for the NHS in the North-East is £4.8bn – we therefore expect this to be increased in line with the Government’s commitment.”

He acknowledged that the region had to urgently identify savings to meet the cost of inflation, new technology, an expanding drugs bill and new pressures on services.