NHS priorities should be decided by professionals not politicians

“It is a disgrace that the Department of Health should even ask the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to look at who should qualify for certain drugs based on their benefit to society” said Christina McAnea, UNISON Head of Health today.
 
Suggesting that drugs should be rationed to those who add to the economy is an outrage and goes against the very founding principles of the NHS – that care should be given based on need, warned the union.
 
Christina McAnea went on to say:
 
“What sort of society would this Government be creating if they reduce the population to cash units?
 
“Any decisions about a patient’s treatment should be made by medical professionals not politicians.  People work hard all their lives and contribute their fair share in taxes.   It is an outrage to suggest that they should be denied life saving or life prolonging drugs when they need them.
 
“NICE have rightly rejected these proposals and the Government should now make it crystal clear that they will drop any plans to pursue the policy further.”