Macular Degeneration

Part of the debate – in Westminster Hall at 1:30 pm on 17 April 2007.

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Photo of John Penrose John Penrose Conservative, Weston-Super-Mare 1:30, 17 April 2007

I congratulate my right hon. Friend on the way in which he is making his case. I shall strengthen his argument by citing the example of North Somerset primary care trust in my constituency, which effectively runs the system that he is describing. Basically, if something is not mandatory under NICE guidelines, because there is a double deficit situation—both the PCT and the hospital are in deficit—the treatment is simply not available.

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Jan Murray
Posted on 20 Apr 2007 10:21 am (Report this annotation)

I am concerned that we are lurching into a two tier NHS. NOT the 'have's' v the 'have not's' but from the 'know's' and 'know not's'. Many people with conditions such as the wet macular degeneration highlighted by John Penrose and others, will not be aware that drugs are available for them which could treat their disease.

I think that we need assurance that all patients will be told about all the treatments available to them and fully informed about those that are available on the NHS and those that are not available until such time as the government and PCTs approve or decide to fund treatment.

It may well be that patients, their friends or families might be able to find the funding necessary in order to save their sight. It is a crime to think that people may not know that a treatment is available which could so drastically affect their quality of life. People are being lured into a false sense of security. They assume that the NHS will treat them appropriately. Many of us understand that this is not necessarily the case.

Best wishes and please keep up the good work.
Jan Murray