SEND  ME YOUR EXPERIENCES OF HEALTH PRIORITISATION  DECISIONS

It is important that we learn from the prioritisation decisions that have been made - both good and bad. Please send me those that you have been involved with.

 

The section starts with a blog describing my own experience with cancer and being affected by prioritisation decisions. The first prioritisation decision the doctors made meant that I did not have the latest drugs ( they were kept for patients with failing kidneys) but I did have state of the art radiotherapy when only 30% of the country at that time had access to this equipment. The NHS was prioritising cancer drugs of dubious cost effectiveness over expanding the number of radiotherapy  machines which are proven to be cost effective. They are at last putting more money into radiotherapy machines but nothing compared to the money they are allocating for drugs. Another example was when my latest follow appointment was cancelled as the hospital had too many new patients to see in the winter rush in the NHS so (quite rightly) were prioritising new patients .

 

However while  travelling along my own person (ongoing)  "cancer journey" and subject to prioritisation decisions I have confidence that I am getting high quality care at the same time that resources are  being used wisely so that many more needy patients  have access to high quality care.