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How Much Does Your PCT Spend on Cancer ?

How does it compares with other PCTs in East Anglia ?

To find the real story behind the Post Code Lottery and how it affects cancer across the country for 2006 - 2007patients in East Anglia,The Rarer Cancers Forum has looked at PCT spending:

Spending per patient by PCTs  across England and Wales:

The lowest spend is £5,182

The highest spend is £17,128

The average spend is £8,437

Average spending per patient by Cambridge PCT = £6,776

Average spending per patient by Norfolk PCT = £7,836 

Average spending per patient by Suffolk PCT average = £6,794

or Click on the link below to the Rarer Cancers Forum website (3rd line down)

Trust Us     -    copied from RCF website

This new section of our website will enable you to check how your Primary Care Trust (PCT) is doing in ensuring that people with rarer cancers receive the treatments they need. Click here to view Taking Exception, the Rarer Cancers Forum report (August 2008) on an audit of PCTs' exceptional cases funding for cancer treatments.

The legal situation
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) appraises a wide range of cancer drugs and makes recommendations in their 'Technology Appraisals'. PCTs are legally obliged to make funding available for the implementation of NICE’s technology appraisals within three months of their publication. If a treatment hasn't been appraised by NICE or the appraisal is not complete, NHS bodies should have local arrangements for the managed introduction of new technologies (such as cancer treatments).

The reality: postcode lottery
In the UK today the postcode lottery exists and there is a tendency for PCTs only to allow drugs that are curative as opposed to those which are life-enhancing. All over the country we hear of situations where patients are denied these treatments, including drugs awaiting approval by NICE as well as those that have been approved by NICE.