‘WE NEED TO FIGHT FOR BREAST REDUCTIONS!’

NHS chiefs have drawn up a list of procedures that may not be offered any more. Dr C is furious and advises us to get pushy

ecent stories R about the NHS hoping to cut costs by stopping “ineffective treatments” have made me furious. If you have huge breasts that give you chronic backache, a breast reduction is not just effective, it’s life-changing. There’s no alternative – losing weight won’t do enough, and you could end up needing a lifetime of other treatments, like painkillers and physio.

BE ‘IN THE KNOW’

Procedures will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, but there will be pressure on doctors not to offer them – and it’s not just breast reductions. Curettage for heavy periods [removing part of the uterus] was mentioned, but it’s that or a hysterectomy, which is far more drastic. Of course, heavy bleeding can be caused by fibroids, which can be treated without this op, but sometimes it’s the only option. I hope doctors will keep offering it irrespective of guidelines, because they are a guide, not a rule.

Stopping injections for non-specific back pain makes more sense because it could be lifestyle-related, so you may just need to adjust to your desk set-up, or stop carrying a heavy bag on the same shoulder. But if it’s not, we have to acknowledge that some people can’t go to weekly physio, because they have five kids or they’re doing two jobs, and the odd injection can be effective for them.

MAKE YOUR CASE

Removal of “benign skin lesions”, so lumps that won’t turn into anything more serious is another procedure being cut. But say you had a lipoma on your back – if it’s where you lean on a chair, it’s likely to keep opening and getting infected, so you’d need antibiotics, whereas removing it is a simple procedure.

Haemorrhoid surgery is on the list too, which is ridiculous. I have patients who bleed through their clothes and we can sort that out. The same goes for varicose veins – those huge, bulging, painful veins can be dangerous, and a surgeon can sort them easily.

It feels like the NHS is taking away treatment for embarrassing conditions, but while they may not be life-threatening, they’re life-limiting. I understand treatments for dandruff and head lice going, but not these.

GET ANOTHER OPINION

If you’re worried, remember this isn’t decided yet. If you feel your doctor isn’t listening or only looking at your condition and not at you as a person, ask for a second opinion. You deserve the best care.