The dentist I had been going to for years no longer took NHS patients.

Until recently few NHS patients were ever treated in private sector hospitals.

This means it will be more difficult to find dentists prepared to accept NHS patients.

Why can't hospitals that treat NHS patients all be privately owned?

However, NHS patients in the region receive a more efficient service than anywhere else.

Eight private healthcare companies, he said, had confirmed that they would follow the same guidelines as those set out for NHS patients.

In total, 500 NHS patients are to have private operations.

Statistics show that this could happen to as many as 1 in 10 NHS patients.

Under the present system NHS patients have 25pc of their costs met by the Government.

It argues that this will lead to increased waiting times for NHS patients.