Allowing Top-Ups Could Be a Slippery Slope to Reducing the Nhs to a Safety Net Service

Summary

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There is perhaps no crueller aspect of modern healthcare than to be told that there is no NHS funding for life-saving drugs. Many patients in this situation are faced with the prospect of paying for all their care privately or foregoing a drug which could extend their life. As a review into how the NHS funds such treatment continues, Mike Ponton, director of the Welsh NHS Confederation, considers the thorny issue of top-up payments

ONE subject guaranteed to provoke debate in the NHS is the subject of top-ups - whether patients have the right to buy additional medical care over and above that provided by the NHS.

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Extract

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Allowing Top-Ups Could Be a Slippery Slope to Reducing the Nhs to a Safety Net Service

This controversial issue is frequently in the headlines because of the current policy that means patients who choose to top-up their care with privately paid-for drugs forfeit their right to NHS care.

At face value it might appear the NHS is failing patients if it cannot provide all the treatment they need, regardless of costs.

The reality is that this issue doesn't come with any easy answers....

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