Fellow CML patients and carers
Many of us will have been following proposals that GP consortia will be commissioning care and treatment and be responsible for funding of the same-the DH website refers
I addition the role and size of PCTs will come under scrutiny plus the funding/costs of drugs and the activities of NICE be reviewed-we might surmise that substantial change will result
I have been on Glivec for nearly 4 years now -recently it was suggested to me that I was an extraordinarily expensive patient (cannot say any more)
When I last saw my consultant I discussed this and the matter re future likely funding issues-the line was that Glivec was approved by NICE and of great proven therepeutic value and was funded by the PCT and yes it costs £25 k p.a.
As we know GPs cannot prescribe this drug -only consultants are able to do this
So my concerns are if consortia of GPs as proposed commission treatment
-will they be expected have the expert clinical knowledge to make clinical judgements currently taken by consultants
-would consultants charge back all costs incurred in treatment and drugs to consortia?
-will there be another form of rationing or postcode lottery depending on how the budget of each consortia stands;this might apply to second generation TKIs and to future generation TKIs
Has anyone else been told that they are expensive to treat?
Do we need to monitor how our drugs and treatment will be commissioned and then supplied in the future and to make representations to our MPs and DH in order to safeguard our position?
I am concerned as I suspect another agenda to limit costs
Many thanks
John