Anger as cancer fund has cash left over

MILLIONS of pounds set aside to fund vital drugs for Oxfordshire patients have not been spent.

The 200m Cancer Drugs Fund was introduced by the Government last year to give people who have been denied key drugs on the NHS a last chance to get treatment.

However, just over a year after it was announced, the Oxford Mail can reveal less than a fifth of the money for vital life-extending drugs for dying patients in our area has been spent.

Just 1.6m of 9.3m has been spent by the NHS South Central Strategic Health Authority, which covers Oxfordshire, although the majority of applications have been funded.

Prime Minister David Cameron announced the fund while visiting cancer campaigner Clive Stone, from Eynsham.

At the time Mr Stone, who set up the campaign group Justice for Kidney Patients to pressurise officials to approve funding for more anti-kidney cancer medicines, said it was the ‘right thing to do’.

But Mr Stone said: “This is an appalling state of affairs and it is high time that we insisted on full accountability from our many highly-paid NHS administrators.”

The fund was introduced as a way of combating the so-called ‘postcode lottery’ which sees some Primary Care Trusts turn down applications for life-extending drugs because of regional funding restrictions.

Applications are made by a consultant specialist, who recommends a drug on behalf of the patient.

But a recent survey by Macmillan Cancer Support showed some doctors are unaware the fund exists. Patients reported that they found out about the money after doing their own research on the internet.

Last night an NHS South Central spokesman said: “It is important to remember that alongside the fund, cancer drugs for thousands of local patients are funded through the usual commissioning channels.

“Since April 2011 until the end of November 2011, the South Central fund has received 493 applications of which 416 have been approved, 26 have been declined and the remaining have been withdrawn or are pending a decision.

“Applications are considered by a clinical panel.”

If the money is not used this financial year, the SHA said it ‘expects’ it will be carried forward, but there is no guarantee.

Mr Stone added: “What possible reason could there be for declining applications when the funds are readily available?