NHS sales to patients- has this always gone on?

[Yazar]

Was visiting in a hospital last week, the ward was mainly full of oaps who had a fall.

Little old lady opposite had a nhs employee come over, was wearing a white blouse rather than a nurses blue, and she proceeded to talk the patient through some sort of catalogue, I overheard bit of conversation such as "this one maybe be better as it has longer...".

Initially thought it was NHS resource wasting and thought that rather than wasting half an hour, why do they not just give her what she needs rather than giving her all these choices.

But an hour later, the employee returned with some sort of plastic round tub thingy, (guessing a toilet seat or bath aid??), old lady opens her handbag and hands over card, the details of which the employee writes down on her form. She left to go home shortly after.

All came across as a bit bizarre, if she needed this item, shouldn't that be the point of a free NHS, and if a 'nice to have' and non-essential, what controls are in place bearing in mind little old ladies can be very vulnerable