Patient wins transplant funding

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/wales/north_east/7014749.stm

Version 0 of 1.

A leukaemia sufferer deemed too ill for a bone marrow transplant has now been told he can have the operation.

It came as Health Minister Edwina Hart announced a review of Health Commission Wales (HCW), which has been at the centre of rows over funding medicines.

Tim Tellett-Davies, 47, of Flintshire, had criticised Health Commission Wales (HCW) for not funding the £90,000 treatment.

He had claimed the operation would have been paid for if he lived in England.

Mr Tellett-Davies said HCW's reversal had given him a chance to live "a lot longer hopefully".

We need to know how they set the criteria, why it's different to anywhere else Janet Ryder AM, on Health Commission Wales

He said trying to obtain funding had been a "complete nightmare," but he felt "elated" at the news.

His wife Val said the decision had thrown them a "huge lifeline".

But she added: "This is a terrible injustice that somebody should have to go through this, because not everybody has got the fight to do it.

"He should never have had to go through all this just to receive what he should have had."

Delyn AM Sandy Mewies, who took up Mr Tellett-Davies's case with Ms Hart, described the decision as "marvellous news".

She hoped a review of HCW "will ensure that no one else is put into the position of having to go through an appeals process which would be distressing at any time, but especially at a time like this when it's an unnecessary burden."

'Disgrace'

North Wales Plaid Cymru AM Janet Ryder, who also took up the case, said: "I'm very pleased that they've at last agreed to fund treatment for Mr Tellett-Davies.

"But it's an absolute disgrace that anyone should have to go through this process.

"He's had at least two other reviews since he was diagnosed in March and each time Health Commission Wales have refused funding saying that he didn't meet the criteria.

Tim Tellett-Davies has responded well to chemotherapy sessions"This is another example of why there has to be a real root and branch review of Health Commission Wales.

"We need to know how they set the criteria, why it's different to anywhere else, why they refuse when physicians say that cases meet the criteria.

"We need transparency and clarity."

Mr Tellett-Davies, an engineer with Flintshire Council, was diagnosed with leukaemia in March.

He was initially treated at Maelor Hospital, Wrexham, but was transferred to the Christie Hospital in Manchester, which specialises in cancer care.

He said he had been in remission several times over the last few months, but claimed HCW had refused to fund the transplant because it considered him too high risk - despite a bone marrow donor being available.

HCW was set up by the Welsh Assembly Government and advises the NHS in Wales on specialist services.

Speaking before the decision on Wednesday, Mr Tellet-Davies had said that "for some reason, someone in Wales has decided I'm not worth it."

Also speaking before Wednesday's announcement, Mr Tellett-Davies's wife, Val, said: "I hate to use the phrase, but it's a postcode lottery.

An HCW spokesman said on Wednesday: "We cannot comment on individual cases, however HCW's individual patient commissioning panel does review its decision when additional evidence from clinicians is presented which demonstrates that the patient meets the criteria within the commissioning policy."