MEMBERS’ ZONE MEMBERS’ZONE RAISING YOUR BUSINESS PROFILE


BUSINESS BENEFITS


GETTING THE MOST FROM CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP


Ensuring you avoid the NHS postcode lottery


H


ip and knee replacements, tonsil removal and cataracts surgery are just a few of the operations being rationed by the NHS in a bid to save money.


Research by GPonline.com shows that two-thirds of Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are now limiting ‘non-urgent’ treatments as part of a drive to reduce costs in the NHS by £20 billion over the next four years. One in three of the 111 PCTs involved in the research have also expanded the list of procedures that they will no longer fund, with some expecting to save more than £1 million by restricting referrals from GPs.


Westfield Health recognises the importance of having quick and easy access to treatment and surgery


This rationing is leading to significant changes such as hip and knee replacements only being carried out where patients are in severe pain, cataracts operations being put on hold until a patient’s sight problems are ‘substantially’ affecting their ability to work, and children only undergoing tonsil removal if they have suffered from at least seven bouts of tonsillitis in a 12-month period. With different PCTs rationing different treatments, we are now faced with postcode lotteries in provision.


According to negotiator for the British Medical Association’s GPs Committee, Dr Chaand Nagpaul, the Government must devise a consistent set of national standards of ‘low priority’ treatments across the UK to solve this problem. He said: “The problem with different low-priority thresholds is that they are often drawn up on the basis of local interpretation of evidence. Ultimately that is not fair to patients.


“Patients and the public recognise that with limited resources we need to make the maximum health gains and so there needs to be prioritisation. What is inequitable is that different PCTs are applying different thresholds and criteria.” Waiting for non-urgent operations can be a long and stressful process and increasing restrictions on treatment will make it even more so. Westfield Health, our official health cash plan provider, recognises the importance of having quick and easy access to treatment and surgery. The Chamber Primary Health Plan provides access to a range of cash benefits and health & wellbeing services including dental, optical, physiotherapy, diagnostic consultations and scanning. Westfield’s Surgery Choices is also available as an add-on benefit, giving policyholders access to up to 60 different surgical procedures normally classed by the NHS as non- urgent and that typically have long waiting periods. These can include operations for hip and knee problems, cataracts, varicose veins, slipped discs and hernias. For just an extra £1.24 per employee, per week, employers who purchase the Chamber Health Plan can also provide their staff with Surgery Choices cover, giving them more choice and control over their own healthcare and helping them to return to work sooner.


The Chamber Primary Health Plan is available to all Chamber members.


For more information about the Chamber Health Plan, please visit our website, www.businesswest.co.uk, email membership@gwebusinesswest.co.uk or call us on 0800 980 2789. We will refer your enquiry to Westfield Health who will send you information directly.


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Business West Update JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012


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