Professor Mike Stevens, professor of Paediatric Oncology at Bristol University, said charities should provide things "outside the remit of direct care", such as family holidays. They could also have a role in providing upfront funding as the NHS couldn't respond immediately to new ideas.
He told a conference of health professionals last week that the "strong level of support" from the voluntary sector for paediatric oncology was "disguising a need". In his area there was "no incentive" for local health commissioners to fund community nursing support for children with cancer as this was already being taken care of by a charity.
Professor Alan Craft, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said charities should provide the "icing on the cake", not the "fundamental services that ought to be provided by the NHS".
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