Standards as to the UK Gov on Healthcare

A mother of two Bernice Sowter whom is suffering from leukaemia has been denied the right to appeal against a Primary Care Trusts (PCT) decision which denies her the drug Dasatinib on the NHS. Her Specialist Consultant wanted to switch her from Imatinib to Dasatinib however the PCT dictates that she does not meet the “exceptional criteria” to qualify for the drug while seemingly not stipulating the meaning of the word exceptional. An MP is currently assisting Mrs Sowter in her efforts although that NHS state that the drug in question has not been approved by the Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice). The PCT make reference to that fact while also undermining itself by stating that any appeal would only serve to right process and have no effect on the decision already made!.  

 

This all raises very serious questions as to STANDARDS as overseen by the Government itself in funding people care with Taxpayers own Money. The points to note here are:-

(1)     A Consultant recommends a drug as treatment – a listed drug to choose from.

(2) The listed drug has not been approved by Nice.

(3) The PCT does not routinely fund unapproved drugs unless exceptional circumstances

(4) The NHS does however dispense unapproved drugs on a drug by drug basis.

(5) The PCT appeals process is about the process itself while its decisions are case in stone.

 

Gov “funding” towards PFI NHS Hospitals is about taxpayers money renting hospitals over long periods from PFI consortiums whom acquire “financing” while Trusts set the parameters in which such Hospitals should operate. These are the same Trusts that set STANDARDS as to hygiene and to which other Gov Depts inspect and report through enquiries. In the continuing episode of “dirty hospitals” the Gov has intervened in standards by injecting £millions more and having done that has then exposed which Trusts don’t meet basic standards. Long Term Investment through PFI’s deserve return dividends but do these dividends come directly from the Gov funding regime towards Hospitals thus serving to provide a ratio between “People Care” to “Investor needs”?. It doesn’t matter how the Government dresses up the outsourcing of Public Services and displays proudly those whom exceed expectations since THEIR real standards are reflected by the ones which fail the most!. The New Labour Government have never had any standards being based on “spin” and so where does that leave a Country other than in a state of chaos as to responsibilities. This isn’t simply a matter of medication just towards Bernice Sowter it’s a matter that everyone should be questioning as Taxpayers & Taxpayers whom have recently witnessed the Public Purse being inundated with false claim expenditure to save face while denying people needing medication for life!.