Cancer victim attacks PCT over 'wrong' guidelines for treatment

Angry: Leah Israel has had to pay £8,000 for specialist treatment
12 April 2012

A CANCER patient today told of her seven-month fight for treatment that could extend her life.

Leah Israel was refused NHS funding for a radiation therapy that could improve her chances of survival. She has now paid for the procedure herself after being told she did not meet the criteria for treatment.

The 53-year-old mother-of-three from Borehamwood accused NHS Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust of using the wrong evidence to support their decision after making her attempt to "prove" over and over again why she should be offered it.

She said the trust used draft guidance by drugs rationing body Nice as a basis for their refusal, instead of relying on actual guidance issued in 2004. Ms Israel was diagnosed with bowel cancer in June 2007 which later spread to her liver.

After surgery and further chemotherapy, her oncologist recommended selective internal radiation therapy.

She is today having the therapy at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead after paying £8,000 for it herself.

She said: "This treatment is being funded by a lot of PCTs, so it's basically a postcode lottery. I just don't live in the right place. My PCT has used the recent provisional guidance instead of the actual 2004 Nice guidance, which is the one they should have used."

She added: "It is outrageous and unacceptable for a PCT to use the wrong criteria in assessing what treatment may be necessary. How many more patients must suffer from their incompetence before they do their job properly?"

Dr Jane Halpin from NHS Hertfordshire said: "Her case was considered by a panel of experienced doctors, nurses and pharmacists. Sadly there was not enough evidence to show that this treatment would be sufficiently effective and for the PCT to make a decision which goes against Nice guidance."

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