NHS Funding Of Cyberknife Treatment
On our return from the USA, we decided to look into applying for NHS funding for Alan’s Cyberknife treatment. Our initial telephone call to our local PCT (Primary Care Trust) was not what we had hoped for. They did not approve ‘Post-treatment’ funding of overseas medical treatment. However, I was not going to give up there. I had fought before and I would fight again. Eventually, we were given ‘permission’ to put our case forward.
We immediately sent a letter to the PCT detailing Alan’s illness and what led us to Alan having Cyberknife treatment. This letter was backed up with a letter from Alan’s surgeon at Manchester, reiterating why we had not had time to apply for prospective funding due to the increasing severity of Alan’s symptoms.
Unfortunately, the PCT managed to ‘find’ several reasons why not to fund Alan’s treatment but we weren’t going to give up our fight. We knew Cyberknife had been the only option left for Alan. There was no treatment available in the UK that could give Alan the same chance of him recovering from this dreadful disease. After all, how much had Alan ‘saved’ the PCT; he had not had the planned surgery, not had chemotherapy or standard radiotherapy that was available in the UK. How much would have that all cost? We knew we had a case.
We appealed against the PCT’s decision and our appeal was held in February 2008. Armed with a great deal of information about the benefits of Cyberknife; we knew it had been the right and only treatment option for Alan but we just had to convince the PCT. Sadly, the PCT disagreed with us. They felt Alan could have been offered similar treatment in the UK and for that reason our request for funding was declined. We still believe we should have been offered NHS funding; we know Alan could not have received more effective treatment in the UK.
Thankfully, by the time we reached the appeal meeting, our ‘debt’ had been cleared, thanks to the very kind generosity of our family, friends, colleagues and even unknown members of our local community. However, we felt and still feel that this is irrelevant; we should have been offered NHS funding. We have both worked hard in our chosen careers, paying our contributions to the National Health Service and it’s now when we call upon the NHS, we have been let down.
We would advise anybody who is considering undertaking Cyberknife treatment to approach their local PCT and apply for ‘pre-treatment’ funding. Although like us, they may be turned down; the more people that apply to their PCT for Cyberknife funding, the more aware the NHS will become about the growing need for Cyberknife to be funded. We are aware that there are 1 or 2 PCT’s in the UK that have funded Cyberknife in the past but it has to be made available to everyone. It cannot become one of those ‘postcode lottery’ issues.
We hope by raising the awareness of Cyberknife in the UK, more people will be able to benefit from this revolutionary treatment and the NHS will have to do something. They have to able to offer this significant advancement in cancer services to every person in this country. Not everyone has money available to fund Cyberknife for themselves; this potentially life-saving opportunity has to be available for everybody. How many people in the UK are told on a daily basis that nothing more can be done for them? The medical profession have to be made aware of the benefits of Cyberknife; too many are dying without having the chance Alan had.