Mum diagnosed with cancer has ‘no case’ for surgery on the NHS, court hears

It’s not national where you have devolved administrations. Scoland Wales and NI have their own NHS. It’s not going to be equal because they make their own choices.

not devolved public services but devolved administrations. Very different kettle of scaly things.

It is far less local than that. Every hospital area has multiple commissioning groups, which make independent decisions about what is & is not funded & worse still, each commissioning group draws large chunks of money out for their own feeding trough. So every hospital is making decisions about care for it’s area based upon multiple commissioning groups, so some treatments may be available to some of it’s patients & not others.

Are you sure it’s that fragmented in Wales? There’s a new health and social care act that nobody has been too fussed about and recently passed the commons vote. It will be interesting to see how the “integrated” future will deal with such cases in England.

My good friend has received excellent treatment from a specialised team. Diagnosed in 2014 and given 5 years maximum to live. It’s amazing that she lived to see one of her daughters marry and hold her first granddaughter. All because of NHS treatment for a very aggressive cancer. So in some places it clearly works well and I’m sure some members here would testify as they are around tell us because their cancers were cured.

This is their opinion:

Lack of evidence might be a reasonable excuse. But there is absolutely justification for the “not be cost-effective” comment. That should not be remotely be part of the equation…:frowning:

2 Likes

Exactly, Besoeker…“cost effective” & “I’m going to die” should never be in the same sentence :cry:

1 Like

Callous is what I would call it.

3 Likes

Maybe a time to remember the “Hippocratic Oath” ?

"The Revised Hippocratic Oath

“I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant:
I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow.
I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures [that] are required, avoiding those twin traps of overtreatment and therapeutic nihilism.
I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon’s knife or the chemist’s drug.
I will not be ashamed to say “I know not,” nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed for a patient’s recovery.
I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know.
Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty.
Above all, I must not play at God.
I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person’s family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick.
I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure.
I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm.
If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter.
May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help.”
Thus, the classical Oath of Hippocratic involves the triad of the physician the patient and God, while the revised version involves only the physician and the patient, reliving the Gods of a few responsibilities."

Not much about putting money before care!

3 Likes

Ted, I must say that I really like that revised Hippocratic Oath. It is plainly written and easy to understand for everyone and, of course, now removes that unnecessary and possibly argumentative insertion of any reliance on, or influence of, any version of god.

I’ll copy that and keep it, simply out of interest.

(I might quote it at my doctor if necessary! :rofl:)

1 Like

Hi JBR!

You can download it from here:-

The Hippocratic Oath: The Original and Revised Version - The Practo Blog for Doctors

1 Like

Yes, thanks, I did that immediately to compare the classical and the modern versions!

1 Like

Strangely, I, quite accidently, searched for “hypocritic”, rather than “Hippocratic”, when I first took a look.

Can’t think why I made such an error!

2 Likes

Think that tree in Corfu, under which Hypocrates allegedly taught many things, is still alive and kicking.

1 Like

Having just seen this latest news item others might like to know the court battle has been won.

"A woman who took health bosses to court after they twice refused to pay for her cancer surgery has won her case."

"Maria Wallpott, of Pontllanfraith, in Caerphilly county, was diagnosed with stage four appendix cancer in April, which has since spread to her ovaries.

She went to court after funding was refused for her treatment by Aneurin Bevan health board and the Welsh Health Specialist Services Committee.

Ms Wallpott said she was “relieved” the court had found in her favour."

5 Likes

That is such good news! She didn’t need all that stress, poor woman. Imagine having to literally fight for your life because someone doesn’t think you are worth it :frowning:

3 Likes

Thank goodness, I hope it works and she has many more years

How terrible to be told your life isn’t worth the price of saving it :frowning:

2 Likes

Isn’t it on Kos? I am sure I have a photo in front of that from the 90s.

1 Like

Hopefully the Welsh NHS will learn from this and change their criteria.

Probably. I’ve been to see it. Got my holidays mixed up.

It’s not very exciting just the only thing to see in Kos Town other than the nightclubs and sea.

1 Like