NHS trusts 'breaking the law' by denying access to treatment

[alp227]

The head of the government's drugs rationing body has claimed that a number of NHS trusts are "breaking the law" by denying patients access to approved treatments and drugs to save money. Sir Michael Rawlins, the chair of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice), said there were many examples of primary care and NHS hospital trusts using "delaying tactics in order to circumvent the legal obligations they have to provide treatment and drugs recommended by Nice within three months".

Rawlins urged doctors to "show leadership" by naming primary care and hospital trusts they believe are "breaking the law" by denying patients treatments to which they are entitled. Set up by the government in 1999 as an independent organisation, Nice decides which drugs and treatments are available on the NHS in England and Wales. Rawlins claimed there were "numerous" trusts stalling to allow them to spend money on other things.

Full: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/aug/03/patients-sue-nhs-access-drugs

[dipsydoodle]

1. Well I suggest

that both the empoyees and employers NH contributions be increased to 30%.

Anything could be afforded then.

[Smilo]

2. The current government is doing

its best to try and break the NHS - there are no profits and/or backhanders for them the way the system is there and they are very envious of the U.S. for profit system.

[LeftishBrit]

3. Well, that's what the government wants, after all

Health care turned into competing businesses, and the competition not on the basis of quality but of cheapness.

The 'internal market' reforms, introduced by the last lot of Tories and continued by Blair, were bad enough; and the current sell-offs I mean reforms, combined with cuts, will inevitably mean deprivation of necessary treatments.