HEALTH MATTERS

DR Mike Clark, clinical lead for service review consultation at NHS Eastern Cheshire CCG, and GP with High Street Surgery, Macclesfield READERS of last week’s column will remember that I talked about some tough decisions the governing body would need to make if vital services were to remain safe and affordable at a time of ever-growing pressure on the NHS.

Accordingly, the governing body met last Wednesday (March 29) to consider proposals to reduce the amount we spend on procedures of lower clinical priority.

In reaching their decisions, members took full account of a 90-day consultation we conducted between October and January.

The decisions were largely consistent with the views of the 460 people who had their say.

Decisions included reducing IVF cycles from three to one, bringing us in line with most neighbouring CCGs and the majority of CCGs nationally.

Members voted to stop funding surgery for breast reduction, the correction of breasts of different size, hair removal and other mainly cosmetic procedures.

It was also agreed to stop funding various fertility treatments including surgical sperm recovery and sperm insemination unless part of an IVF cycle.

However, the CCG will continue to pay for up to six cycles of intra uterine insemination.

The governing body decided to restrict access to surgery to remove non-cancerous skin lesions, desensitising light therapy, ear wax removal in hospital, shoulder arthroscopy, hip injections and treatment for erectile dysfunction.

There will be no change to existing access to knee replacements or nerve stimulation to stop incontinence. In addition, patients already undergoing treatment will be unaffected by the new policy to be introduced early in 2017-18.

None of us enjoyed making these decisions – and in an ideal world there would be no need to restrict access to care. However, these decisions are expected to make savings of £400,000 a year and help protect services, including urgent and emergency care.

For more information on the decisions or the 90-day consultation, please visit https://www. easterncheshireccg.nhs. uk/Meetings/29march-2017.htm.