An Oakworth mother-of-three is angry that she has been told the NHS cannot afford to pay for a new contraceptive coil.

Sandra Nutter, who is in her 30s, asked Keighley Family Planning Clinic if it would fit a new Marina coil for her. But she says staff there told her there was insufficient money in the budget to provide the £100 coil.

It was suggested that if her GP at Ingrow's Kilmeny Surgery would write a prescription for the new device it could be fitted at the clinic. She claims she was told the GP surgery had no funds to foot the bill either.

Sandra, who suffers from heavy periods, had pinned her hope on the new coil after her sister had one fitted. Around 60,000 women in England use the new coil, which is said to offer better protection than traditional coils, to bring lighter periods, reduce pre-menstrual tension and protect against pelvic inflammatory disease.

Sandra, whose children are aged between 15 and four, feels she is too young for a hysterectomy. She says. "I understand the clinic and the surgery's problems but I have worked since leaving school and paid my taxes. I think I should be entitled to this."

The Worth Valley Health Consortium says the Family Planning Department decides how to spend its own budget.

A spokesman adds: "There are two main reasons why local GPs might not supply the coil.

"Firstly, it is not advisable for any GP to provide a prescription for any drug or device that is being managed exclusively by another doctor in another organisation. The responsibility for any problem with the Mirena coil fitted by the Family Planning doctor could lie with the GP even though they had not inserted it and were not providing any follow-up advice and treatment.

"Secondly, this device has to be prescribed and fitted by a trained doctor and not all practices have GPs who have undertaken the training required.

"The Mirena coil is only one of many efficient methods of contraception available."

, both in Family Planning and in general practice in the Worth Valley."

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