Cancer mum's new hope for more time

Jun 30 2008 by Dan Warburton, The Journal

A NORTH couple who have paid thousands of pounds for a life-enhancing cancer treatment have welcomed a new NHS constitution which plans to end the postcode lottery of drug provision.

Mother-of-one Karen Gault is fighting terminal bowel cancer and has paid for all of her medical treatment privately after opting to fund the drug Avastin.

The drug, which costs £1,200 a fortnight, prolongs her life and gives her precious time with her three-year-old daughter Grace.

But because the treatment she is undergoing is not seen as cost-effective by health guidance body the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (Nice), NHS North of Tyne will not provide it and she has not been deemed as an exceptional case.

Because she is paying for part of her treatment privately it means, under current Whitehall guidelines, that she must pay for the rest of it too.

The decision means the 44-year-old, from Jesmond, Newcastle, is not eligible to receive even blood tests or scans on the NHS.

But today Health Secretary Alan Johnson is expected to unveil a draft document that will enshrine a universal right to approved treatments if clinically appropriate.

Mrs Gault last night said: “I’m totally pleased about the news. Initially I was very pragmatic, because I thought there would only be so much money.

“But if we need more money in the NHS to treat serious life-threatening conditions, then it should be available.

“If there is such a problem that a doctor recommends a drug, but unfortunately you cannot afford to get it, then that is wrong.

“You shouldn’t be diagnosed with the fever and on the way to the hospital be worrying if you can afford to be ill.

“But I totally support this new move. I’m chuffed to bits about the new announcement and I’m glad the politicians and those responsible are taking it seriously.”

Wide variations in the availability of drugs between local health authorities have been one of the most consistent complaints from patients in recent years.

The problem arises because Nice lets trusts choose which treatments to fund.

This means patients in some parts of the country have access to free drugs for cancer treatment while others must fund the drugs themselves.

Sufferers claim they are denied potentially life-saving treatments simply because of the area in which they live.

Mr Johnson said: “What we have heard from patients is that one of their major concerns is the perceived postcode lottery in access to drugs – that there are too many variations around who gets access to prescribed drugs and that these variations are a lottery depending on where you live.

“The draft constitution will address this by making it explicit that patients have the right to Nice-approved drugs if clinically appropriate.”

Constitution

HEALTH Secretary Alan Johnson also said efforts would be made to speed up the approval of new drugs by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (Nice).

The constitution plans to set out a right to expect local decisions on funding of other drugs and treatment to be made rationally following a proper consideration of the evidence.

It is being launched as part of 60th anniversary celebrations of the NHS, and has been drawn up on the basis of wide consultation.

The Department of Health said the constitution would be the first of its kind in the world and would state what patients, public and staff are entitled to expect from the NHS and what they can do if their needs are not met.

Nice should in future issue the majority of its guidance as to whether new drugs should be available NHS-wide within a few months of a new drugs’ launch.

Many of the disputes occur when some individual areas provide treatments ahead of such approval.

Mr Johnson said: "We will also speed up the national process for appraising new drugs and make the process for local funding of drugs not appraised by Nice, or where Nice has yet to issue guidance, more transparent and consistent."