NHS rejects Worthing man's £4,000 plea (From The Argus)
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NHS rejects Worthing man's £4,000 plea
11:30am Sunday 4th September 2011 in News By Siobhan Ryan, Health Reporter
A disabled man has been refused vital medical equipment which could prolong his life because of NHS red tape. Jonathan Hastie, 30, has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a muscle wasting condition which gets worse over time and affects his lungs, heart muscles and mobility.
He is particularly at risk whenever he develops a cold because his condition makes it difficult for him to cough and clear his lungs.
Mr Hastie's doctors applied for him to have a £4,000 cough assist.
But NHS Sussex has refused funding for the machine, saying it is not effective.
Mr Hastie, of High Salvington, Worthing, branded the decision short-sighted.
He said: "There is a wealth of evidence supporting the use of these devices in the treatment of this condition.
"These include consensus statements in the US and in the UK, including top consultants.
"My own consultants at the Royal Brompton Hospital believe it would help me.
"I am angry and frustrated by this as it makes no sense.
"I am really worried that the refusal to provide this equipment could seriously affect my life. Even a cold could potentially become fatal for me especially if it develops into pneumonia."
A spokeswoman for NHS Sussex said: "NHS funds are limited and the NHS makes difficult funding decisions every day over new drugs and equipment, unusual forms of surgery and different therapies.
"For cases like Mr Hastie's where a patient is requesting treatment not normally funded by the NHS we have a robust process which takes into account clinical evidence as well as best value for money.
"The Individual Funding Request Panel which considered this request for a cough assist device included three hospital consultants, three GPs and two specially trained lay members.
"Having thoroughly reviewed all the relevant factors the panel made the difficult decision not to approve funding. This decision was made on the basis that there is very little evidence of effectiveness.
"We understand that Mr Hastie plans to appeal this decision. Any additional evidence will be carefully considered."
Comments(12)
rolivan
says...
1:38pm Sun 4 Sep 11
Hove Actually wrote:Absolutely spot on
probally rejected the request over a team building outing out followed by a working lunch followed by a board meeting with high tea followed by a gala dinner before jetting off on fact finding event, or to put it another way spent £8000 to reject the £4000 request
gmgc81
says...
1:48pm Sun 4 Sep 11
censored
says...
1:58pm Sun 4 Sep 11
alanbarnett
says...
3:01pm Sun 4 Sep 11
Morpheus
says...
4:11pm Sun 4 Sep 11
GIVE UP
says...
8:19pm Sun 4 Sep 11
jonhastie
says...
10:53pm Sun 4 Sep 11
http://ajrccm.atsjou
rnals.org/cgi/conten
t/full/170/4/456
Cough assist, aka mechanical insufflation-exsuffl
ation
Trust me, I've tried it and it works - they have one at Worthing hospital. But it will cost more for 2 weeks in ICU every time I get a cold than it would to buy me a machine which allows me to be treated at home.
Maxwell's Ghost
says...
6:20am Mon 5 Sep 11
John Steed
says...
8:37am Mon 5 Sep 11
Kizywizz
says...
1:53pm Mon 5 Sep 11
A cough assist is widely used in other countries, why not here! this condition is life shortening and it will take my son from me, any machine that could prolong his life and any other Duchenne sufferers needs to available as standard.
I thought
says...
5:31pm Mon 5 Sep 11
"The Individual Funding Request Panel which considered this request for a cough assist device included three hospital consultants, three GPs and two specially trained lay members.
"Having thoroughly reviewed all the relevant factors the panel made the difficult decision not to approve funding. This decision was made on the basis that there is very little evidence of effectiveness.
"We understand that Mr Hastie plans to appeal this decision. Any additional evidence will be carefully considered."
Perfectly clear I think.
Hove Actually says...
12:05pm Sun 4 Sep 11