Downing Street has defended plans to treat NHS patients in private clinics.

Speaking as the health secretary, Alan Milburn, unveiled the plans to link up with Bupa, Number 10 said it was vital to use all options to deliver extra capacity in the NHS.

"The key fact here is capacity," said a spokesman. "There is a shortfall of capacity in the NHS...and the key issue is what you can do practically to increase capacity in the NHS."

According to Number 10, Labour's manifesto made clear its commitment to use any option which adds additional capacity providing its represents value for money.

The move will effectively end the health service's monopoly over the treatment of patients and will see 5000 minor operations being "bought" from the private healthcare firm Bupa. The first public/private clinic under the deal will open at the Redwood Centre in Surrey within 12 months.

While operations will continue to be free at the point of need for the patient, no details were released on the cost of the Bupa deal to the NHS.

The government hopes that by developing "express surgery centres", routine operations will become less susceptible to cancellation or delay under pressure from emergency admissions.

Union Opposition

The announcement coincides with the launch of a £1 million campaign by the public sector union, Unison, warning against private management of the NHS.

The union is "reminding" the government that the electorate expects it to deliver improved public services.

"Our campaign reminds the government that the public does not support the increasing use of the private sector to run our public services. They want quality public services and they don't want private companies making profits out of our sick, our children and our elderly," said Unison's general secretary Dave Prentis.

Contracts

It is expected that NHS staff will be told they are not being transferred to the private sector and their terms and conditions will remain as they are.

With the new agreement thought to be the first of a further 19 similar deals, the government is determined to press ahead with plans to end the NHS's monopoly on treating patients.

Clare Hollingsworth, managing director of Bupa, said the deal would help to cut NHS waiting times, treat more patients and extend patient choice.

"Under the proposal Bupa Redwood Hospital will offer a range of diagnostic and elective day and in patient treatments for up to 12,000 NHS patients. The diagnostic and treatment centre will provide services to the Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust and other NHS commissioning agencies in the South East," she said.

Further Reform

Further government reforms are expected to see more NHS patients being treated in the private sector if they are waiting over six months for an operation in an NHS hospital, and other deals involving the government paying for parts of a private hospital to be used for the treatment of NHS patients.

Milburn is also reported to be planning a shake-up of the Department of Health, under which it would become an "arms-length" regulator of hospitals in a bid to drive up standards.