Last week, we reported how medical teams in Oxford successfully delivered quins to a Russian couple unable to get the same standard of care in their home country. The delivery involved a significant number of medical staff at the Oxford Radcliffe Hospital Trust and the care was paid for on a private basis.

This week the ORH says it wants to carry out more private treatment for foreign patients as a way of balancing its books.

If it helps to maintain services, then some extra revenue can be a benefit. It is, however, not without its dangers. As we have seen in Norfolk this week, hospital capacity is still an issue. While private work will bring in more revenue, it can also tie up vital resources.