ROYAL Marine Doug Hickin slogged more than 26 miles around the streets of London to raise some cash for a worthy cause.

But the marathon man could be forgiven if he was disappointed that his hard-earned £1,329 will not benefit disabled patients directly but will pay for an inspection of a premises.

Because the amount he raised corresponds almost exactly to the bill the Dorset Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre at Sturminster Marshall has to pay to register with the Healthcare Commission.

Last year it cost £1,080, this year it will be £1,566 and next it will be £2,350.

Manager Heather Michie runs the centre which offers oxygen therapy and physiotherapy to around 50 patients.

Patients say oxygen - delivered at pressure in a decompression chamber and not available in hospitals in the area - dramatically improves their quality of life.

Benefits include better sight, better bladder control, fewer involuntary spasms, better sleep and improved levels of concentration and energy.

But the centre now comes under the Care Standards Act, which means expensive inspections are needed.

"Because we're independent and outside the NHS we pay for it," Mrs Michie said.

"We actually are doing the NHS a favour by having physiotherapy here and by having the oxygen.

"We are a charity, totally self-funding, and our people have to go out standing on street corners to collect money in all winds and weathers.

"I think it's grossly unfair that we have to fund these extra moneys.

"I'm not complaining about being regulated but we're a charity and this is what people seem to forget."

A spokesperson for the Healthcare Commission said: "The policy for recovery of regulatory costs was set by the Department of Health in 2001 to reflect the range of regulatory responsibility from the private and voluntary sector.

"In all cases the fees were set well below the full cost and the subsequent increases in fees are still far below the actual cost."

First published: May 11