Why leave me in pain for months, NHS?

BARRY EVERETT ... unhappy with the treatment he received from the NHS

A PENSIONER has criticised the NHS after he was left in agony for months while awaiting specialist treatment for a fractured leg.

Barry Everett, 73, says he waited over four months while NHS committees decided whether he was eligible to gain access to the Exogen ultrasound bone growth stimulator machine to help repair his leg and potentially avoid surgery.

The treatment, which uses safe, painless low-intensity ultrasound waves to stimulate the body's natural repair process and help bones knit together, is excluded from guidelines issued by NHS advisory body Nice.

It means all requests require approval from local commissioners but Mr Everett did not expect the delay to last several months.

Mr Everett, from High Crompton, said: "I was told that I would be a good candidate for the treatment and that it could help me avoid surgery on my leg.

"But it took over four months for them to accept me for treatment.

"It kept being passed to committees for referrals and I was left in agony.

"I couldn't even wear shoes or enjoy going out because I was in that much pain."

Mr Everett was originally diagnosed with the fractures more than 18 months ago after noticing pain in his leg and was told it would require an operation to repair.

He said: "I was told it may be a long delay for the operation so I decided to pay to have it done privately.

"The date of the procedure was moved back on few occasions due to my ill health. However, when I was due to have it in February I was told there was a risk I would need treatment in intensive care and the private facility would not be able to accommodate me."

He returned to the Royal Oldham Hospital but was told that he may be eligible for the non-surgical treatment, causing a delay to his treatment once again.

Mr Everett, who was approved for the treatment earlier this month, said: "I think it is a ridiculous process to let people wait that long, in pain and suffering.

"If it has the potential to stop people having to undergo surgery and reduce pain. It should be considered quickly."

A spokesperson for NHS Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group said that they cannot comment on individual cases. However, when requests are received by the CCG for treatments or procedures not routinely available but where a clinician feels that a patient is clinically exceptional, it is considered via the Effective Use of Resources process.

They continued: "The Greater Manchester Effective Use of Resources Steering Group, made up of clinical representatives from the 12 CCGs across GM is currently developing a GM EUR policy on the use of ultrasound and pulsed electromagnetic systems for bone healing.

"In the meantime, requests will continue to be funded via individual CCG's local policies.

"Currently all 12 GM CCGs have given the EUR Clinical Triage Team delegated authority to approve or decline requests in line with this treatment.

"If a patient falls outside the Nice guidance and the referring clinician believes the patient may be clinically exceptional, the request will go to the local CCG's Individual Funding Request Panel for consideration."

They added that the Government's NHS priorities are underpinned by achieving careful management of overall NHS resources.

"The aim is to secure the greatest health gain from the resources available, by making decisions based on evidence about clinical effectiveness and known population needs.

"The commissioning process leads to decisions about what is and isn't commissioned, following strict protocol and careful deliberation."

A spokesperson for the Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Royal Oldham, said: "We are pleased that commissioners have confirmed that Mr Everett is eligible for the Exogen ultrasound bone treatment and that his treatment can now progress under our care.

"We would like to thank him for his patience and wish him a speedy recovery."

For more information on the Effective Use of Resources process visit www.oldhamccg.nhs.uk/Yourhealthandwellbeing/EffectiveUseofResources.