Private AE unit offers fast-track treatment for 29

PATIENTS will be able to jump the queues at Accident Emergency by paying to see a doctor in London's first purpose-built private casualty department.

For a flat fee of just 29, patients at the 5 million Casualty Plus unit in Brentford will get to see an AE specialist immediately.

The company behind the unit, due to open in October, believes there will be more than enough people willing to pay to avoid the lengthy waits in NHS AE departments.

Syed Jaffrey, chief executive of Casualty Plus, said: "For life- threatening injuries patients will still go to the NHS where they will get excellent attention.

"But 80 per cent of those who go to AEs don't have lifethreatening injuries and they have to wait while the really serious cases are treated. A broken arm may be a minor injury to an AE unit, but it isn't minor to the patient."

Mr Jaffrey, 42, who has worked as a management consultant with KPMG, funded the venture with private cash.

Local NHS organisations welcomed the initiative.

Dharmenra Tripathi, a Hounslow GP, described the unit as a "great support" for the over-stretched NHS set-up in West London. "I have discussed this idea with a number of GPs locally and they are most enthusiastic."

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