Project aim
Callum requires a medical chest brace that is not available on the NHS to save having an operation.
About the project
I am posting on this site in relation to an issue I have regarding my son and his need for treatment not available on the NHS.
Callum, our son, is 14. A few months ago he came home from school with a displaced ribcage. He had not had an accident or injury, it just came about. We rushed to see out our local GP who was amazed at what he saw, in fact he called in another GP who also said he had never seen anything like it. I am sure you can understand how worried we were to hear this from 2 experienced GPs! Our GP immediately made an urgent referral to a specialist at the University Hospital in Cardiff, this was October last year.
We were seen in Cardiff in January this year (a 4 month wait for an urgent referral, but that’s another story!) At this appointment we met with the consultant whose speciality is Thoratic Surgery, a very nice and knowledgeable person. the consultant examined Callum and informed us that the best course of treatment would be a medical brace that Callum would have to wear 23hrs a day for a period of time. She then hit us with the bombshell that this treatment, the brace, costs £2500 and is currently not available on the NHS! The consultant informed us that they are putting forward a case to get this treatment provided under the NHS and would know more about the funding situation in a few months’ time. We made another appointment, which was on the 30th April 2015.
At that appointment we were informed that they were still no closer to securing funding towards this type of treatment, however we were informed that we could “sponsor” the treatment – in other words, pay for it.
I ask the consultant if our son does not have the brace what are the options to sort out his health issue, she told us that it will be a case of having surgery.
Now I am no medical expert, but surely having a brace now as a preventative action is better, and indeed cheaper, than having to undergo surgery later on? – It makes no sense to me when non essential, cosmetic treatments are available on the NHS to anyone even "Health tourists" from the EU!
I am contacting my local MP and writing to the Health Minister at the Welsh assembly - I intend to continue to promote this injustice even after the target for this "project" is hopfully acheived - Any funding over the requested amount will be donated to "The friends of Port Talbot Hospital"
Thank you for taking the time to read this.