THE National Health Service faces many problems and money, or lack of it, is at the root of most of them.

Finding the necessary funding to keep services going is a constant battle and few would envy the task of those who have to prioritise and choose between alternatives which seem equally important in saving lives.

Finding the capital cost of complex pieces of equipment is a major hurdle and often public appeals are run to raise the money needed.

But even when they have a vital piece of machinery administrators have to juggle to get cash into a separate budget to meet the wage costs of those who have to operate it.

Such a dilemma seems to be facing the different Primary Care Trusts wanting to use the £40,000 bone densitometry machine at Accrington Victoria Hospital.

Although in April 33 Hyndburn and Ribble Valley patients were awaiting bone scans using the machine more than 750 in other parts of East Lancashire have been told they may have to wait for up to 49 weeks for similar treatment.

It appears that decisions need to be taken so that other PCTs pay a share of the staffing costs if waiting lists are to be reduced to what they were when the machine was installed with charity cash six years ago.

Health managers must get their heads together to ensure this happens.