Published: Thursday, 25th June, 2009 7:00am

Letter: Treatment case-by-case

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I AM writing further to your article (Chronicle, June 18) in which you stated 'Life saving drugs are being denied to a cancer sufferer on a technicality'.

In 2007, the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE), an independent organisation responsible for providing national guidance on promoting good health and preventing and treating ill health, rejected Avastin as a cost effective drug for the treatment of bowel cancer. It was however approved for the treatment of other forms of cancer.

From time to time NHS Berkshire West is faced with extremely difficult and emotive circumstances. A patient may have a course of treatment recommended by a consultant but some treatments may not be approved by Nice and not therefore freely available from the NHS.

At NHS Berkshire West we consider individual requests to secure funding for particular treatments on a case by case basis. We have to do this through a clear process to ensure fair treatment for everyone. If Nice support the use of a particular drug or treatment we will always pay for it. Where Nice has ruled against a new drug or has not yet had time to consider it we will not automatically reject an application for its use, but consider each o its merits.

The Berkshire Priorities Committee meets regularly to consider the evidence for clinical and cost effectiveness of a treatment. The committee is made up of GPs, consultants, pharmacists, managers, patient representatives as well as a barrister and an expert ethics adviser.

Their recommendations help Primary Care Trusts to decide how to allocate their resources so that they can best promote the health of the whole community. If a patient"s application for a treatment is refused, they can appeal against the decision and they are provided with details on how to make an appeal. A soon as we receive an appeal or additional information, we ensure that the case is reviewed urgently.

Of course I understand all of this is of little comfort to patients who believe a certain course of treatment may help their condition and they have been denied that treatment by the NHS. However, we will always do everything that we can to assist patients within the rules by which we are obliged to operate for the benefit of all.

Dr DAVID BUCKLE

Medical Director

NHS Berkshire West