How can this be allowed to happen

[Deanne Jenkyns]

Hi All,
Since setting up these boards I have come into contact with many people in the outrageous situation of having to self fund Tarceva. I have been talking to a pensioner who's husband was told about Tarceva by his oncologist and then told they would have to pay for it. She has managed to raise enough money to fund it for a couple of months so called her husbands hospital today. She was then told that she would have to have a private consultation and pay for that too! How can they do this to pensioners! A £120 for the NHS oncologist to sign a prescription. The very same oncologist who is seeing him as an NHS patient....this just gets worse!


Deanne
x

[phillipa]

This beggars belief. Don't these people have a conscience? Surely the salary the oncologist draws working in the NHS, paid for by the very taxes these people pay should cover this. Is this oncologist going to see the patient in a private consuting room, or is he using the NHS Office at the hospital?

[Deanne Jenkyns]

Hi,
after speaking to Mrs White on the phone and hearing how distressed she was I asked her if she wanted me to call the hospital on their behalf and speak to the secretary, she was happy for me to do this and called to let them know I would be calling speaking on their behalf. she gave me a contact and I called and basically said that it was unacceptable for them to be charging a private patient consultation fee on top of everything else. They said it was hospital policy, I then told them that cancer patient rights state that you can switch between NHS and private, she said not at that hospital. I said well ok, I have BBC TV coming tomorrow and I am going to blow this wide open! She then gave me another number to call, complaints manager PCT, and went on to say that if it was up to her she would give them the Tarceva for nothing. I called the PCT manager and let a message for her to call back. However I have since received word that the oncologist rang Mrs white personally and told her their has been a miss understanding!!!!! Amazing what a threat of TV and bad press will do! I am disgusted by this it makes you wonder how many others are being bled dry!


Deanne
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[dtay]

Exactly Deanne, and what a great thing you have done for Mrs White. Makes you wonder exactly what does go on tho doesn't it ??
Dawn x