Millions to be affected by NHS plan to ration 34 everyday tests and treatments

[Northerner]

Millions of patients will be stopped from having an X-ray on their sore back, hernia repair surgery or scan of their knee to detect arthritis under controversial plans from NHS and doctors to ration “unnecessary” treatment.

The Guardian has seen a list of 34 diagnostic tests and treatments that in future patients in England will only be able to get in exceptional circumstances as part of a drive to save money and relieve the pressure on the NHS.

The sweeping changes they are set to propose include many forms of surgery, as well as ways of detecting illness including CT and MRI scans, and blood tests, for cancer, arthritis, back problems, kidney stones, sinus infections and depression. Three of the procedures have since been dropped from the list.

If implemented, the clampdown would involve an unprecedentedly radical restriction on patients’ right to access and doctors’ ability to recommend procedures, some of which have been used routinely for decades.

https://www.theguardian.com/society...to-ration-34-unnecessary-tests-and-treatments

 

[mikeyB]

There is an enormous difference between rationing and rationalisation. X-Rays for a sore back, I would guess, has hardly ever changed a course of treatment in my experience. Evryone over the age of fifty shows some signs of lumbar spondylosis on x-ray, and I mean everyone. Its the price we pay for walking on two legs. So how does an x-ray help? The same applies to routine blood tests for prostate cancer. If you do post mortem analysis on men over seventy, around 70% will show some sign of prostatic cancer, but very few with prostatic cancer have never had any symptoms to suggest such a problem, which then needs investigation and treatment. I could go on, but all the so called ratioining isn't what it seems. It could easily be described as common sense.

Just because we expect such things because they have been going on for years doesn't mean they are value for money. That's what this is about, not rationing treatment.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Just because we expect such things because they have been going on for years doesn't mean they are value for money. That's what this is about, not rationing treatment.

There are a few letters to the Grauniad today saying much the same, including noting that some of the things being stopped actually turned out to be harmful so stopping them is improving care.

 

[trophywench]

Mikey - but the trouble is, some GPs totally ignore rationalisation when it comes to the PSA testing. eg we have a member where prostate cancer runs in the family, he has had it and it's been sorted and he has twin sons. Ergo his sons are automatically at risk of getting it to a far greater degree than a random other male without a family history. The sons were therefore urged to get tested occasionally by the hospital consultant that treated Dad. One's GP agreed, the other refused point blank since he didn't have any symptoms - it can be too late by the time a bloke gets symptoms as you know as well as I do. The idea is - not to overload the NHS but to have the PSA tested - though occasionally - frequently enough to spot CHANGES.

 

[mikeyB]

You make my point precisely, Jenny. Target your resources. A family history? An obvious reason to investigate early and often. That doesn't justify testing everybody just in case.