States yes to 3,000 in need of new drugs

The States yesterday approved plans to make available in the island over the next two years more of those approved by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence.

But there was some concern about the future funding of this move.

The gap between the drugs available in the UK and those available in Guernsey was now too large to be acceptable, said Health & Social Care president Heidi Soulsby, and a change in policy was needed if this was not to get worse.

Accepting the proposals would remove the inequality that saw only people who were able to afford these treatments, either by paying directly or through health insurance, having access to them.

The committee proposed an incremental approach to introducing the new drugs, treatments and devices in receipt of a technology appraisal (TA) from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence.

The estimated funding required is expected to be in the region of £5.6m. in the first year and £8.3m. in the second, at which stage it would be reviewed.

Initially funding will come from the Guernsey Health Reserve, but Deputy Matt Fallaize sounded a warning that there was no long-term funding identified and that worried him.

Shane Langlois predicted that the health reserve would continue to be used after two years and the Assembly would be fooling itself if it thought otherwise.

Policy & Resources vice-president Deputy Lyndon Trott said he would support the proposals unreservedly, but said that taxes would go up.

Deputy Soulsby later said that taxes might well be going up, but it would be disingenuous to say that this would be as a result of these proposals being approved.

‘This is going to cost millions and millions but we have to do it, because it’s the right thing to do,’ said Deputy Peter Ferbrache.

Employment & Social Security president Deputy Michelle Le Clerc thought it likely that the funding would end up coming from the Health Insurance Fund.

But the changes could not come soon enough for Deputy Mary Lowe, who accepted Deputy Soulsby’s point that it would take time to bring in infrastructure changes and train up staff but wished all the drugs and technology could be brought in sooner.

Many members praised the report, among them Deputy Jennifer Merrett who accepted that the drugs would not necessarily save lives but would improve them: ‘It’s not about immortality, it’s about quality of life,’ she said.

The proposals went to a recorded vote and were passed by 38 votes to one, with only Deputy Langlois voting against.