END IN SIGHT FOR CANCER DRUG POSTCODE LOTTERY
Review of rules that cause unnecessary misery
A postcode health lottery which leaves patients with cancer and rare diseases missing out on treatment because of where they live will be reviewed.
Set up by the Welsh Government, the Independent Patient Funding Request (IPFR) system forces patients in Wales to move across the border to England to receive lifesaving medicine.
The system has been criticised because those suffeirng from serious diseases must prove “exceptionality” – they are in more need of a treatment than others with the same condition – to be treated in Wales.
Senedd chiefs are now launching a review of the IPFR system.
It will seel to establish a fairer system for getting patients urgent treatment not generally available on the NHS.
The campaign group Hawl i Fyw, inspired by Bangor man Irfon Williams’ fight against cancer – has campaigned to abolish the exceptionality requirement.
Dad-of-five Mr Williams had to move to Ellesmere Port after his bids for potentially life prolonging drugs were turned down four times under the IPFR system.
Plaid Cymru AM Sian Gwenllian has spoken with Mr Williams and his wife Becky on several occasions and backs the campaign.
She said: “The way patients like Irfon have been treated has been truly deplorable, creating unnecessary stress and anguish at an already difficult time.
“The system has been responsible for much heartache for patients and their families, putting seriously ill people in a position where they must prove themselves to be worthy of treatment.”
In May our sister paper the Daily Post reported how First Minister Carwyn Jones had pledged to end IPFR.
Plaid Cymru Shadow Cabinet Minister for Health, Rhun ap Iorwerth, said the review will investigate establishing national assessment panels to ensure fairer decisions are made.
He said: “I am pleased that the Welsh Government will establish an independent review that specifically looks at exceptionality and ensuring consistent and fair decisions.
“The current system is a postcode lottery and makes hundreds of seriously ill patients jump over bureaucratic hurdles to get treatment.”
The Welsh Government has been asked to comment.