Concern over access to drugs for rare cancer patients (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Concern over access to drugs for rare cancer patients

9:27am Tuesday 12th August 2008 in

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A CHARITY has accused the district's health authority of making it "very difficult" for patients with rare forms of cancer to get life-saving drugs.

Now the authority has told the Guardian it is reviewing its procedures to ensure they are fair and prompt.

It follows a study by the Rarer Cancers Forum (RCF) which revealed wide variations across England in the number of patients granted access to medicines.

The charity obtained full details under the Freedom of Information Act from 62 of England's 152 primary care trusts.

West Essex Primary Care Trust, which provides health services for Epping Forest, Harlow and Uttlesford, revealed it has no written protocols in place for assessing 'exceptional requests' for drugs other than those usually funded.

An RCF spokesman said: "The Department of Health has made it clear in the draft NHS Constitution that it expects PCTs to make funding decisions in a rational and transparent manner.

"It’s difficult to see how this can be achieved if a PCT does not even have a written policy on how it will make such decisions."

He added: "It is very difficult for patients and clinicians to formulate requests for funding if they don’t know how the requests for drugs are assessed."

Carol Roberts, head of medicines for West Essex Primary Care Trust, said: "We look at each funding request on an individual patient basis and consider the matter in the light of each case.

"Apart from information provided on our exceptional case form, we often have further discussions with the patient's consultant to ensure all information has been provided before an assessment of that individual patient is made."

She added: "We are currently reviewing all procedures relating to special cases to ensure fair and prompt consideration for patients is timely."

The government said its new NHS Constitution, which has just gone out for public consultation, will improve fairness and access to drugs.