Radiation Sickness Treatments: Funding (Hansard, 19 February 1991)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Hooper)
My Lords, the Government have consistently increased resources to the National Health Service, and escalating costs reflect the fact that new treatments are taken into account. Sickness as a result of radiation is encountered during some radiotherapy treatments. We are aware that several new products are emerging but there are also well-established drug regimes to cope with many of the cases.

§ Lord Hunter of Newington
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that Answer. Do the Government think that there should be a procedure in these matters which is known to the medical profession and to the patients? It is evident that in recent months there has been a great deal of publicity on the subject and such a procedure might be important. Will the Minister say whether there is a role here for the Director of Research and Development?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, we have taken the view that decisions on patient services must be taken at a local level. One of the main principles of the White Paper, Working for Patients, is that decisions about patient services should be taken locally in the light of local assessment of health care needs. Any form of central fund for drugs, advice about drugs or any central prescription on drugs would pre-empt local decisions. It may well be that there is a role here for the newly appointed Director of Research and Development.

§ Baroness Carnegy of Lour
My Lords, are the Government satisfied that the medical research ethics committees across the country take proper account of possible extra radiation to which patients may be subjected, beyond that which their normal treatment would require?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, my noble friend asks a most important question. There is no doubt that local ethical committees are a suitable vehicle for taking extra radiation into account. I shall investigate how widespread the practice is.

§ Lord Ennals
My Lords, bearing in mind how disturbing radiation sickness can be—the Minister's noble friend mentioned that—will the Minister give the House any information she has about any new treatments that are being developed? I heard recently that an interesting development was taking place at the Christie Hospital. Will the Minister give an assurance that no treatments will be held up for financial reasons?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, new anti-emetic drugs have recently been licensed, or are still undergoing clinical trials. One example is Ondansetron which vats first marketed in April and May 1990. That drug treats the side effects of radio-therapy treatment. Another drug is Granisetron which has been developed to combat similar symptoms. That drug is still undergoing clinical trials.

Lord Bruce of Donington
My Lords, on the basis that it is still a characteristic of the National Health Service to refuse to accept any governmental or outside interference as regards clinical advice and the prescriptions recommended by qualified medical or consultant practitioners, will the Minister say whether, in the event of a new form of treatment being clinically recommended, the Government reserve the right to withhold financial provision for that treatment, or to tolerate local or regional interference in a clinical decision?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, I believe the noble Lord agreed with me that these are matters for local rather than central prescription. I repeat that individual doctors are free to prescribe what they consider to be the most appropriate drugs for their patients, taking account of local arrangements and protocols drawn up by the hospital committee of senior doctors and managers which is accountable for health care priorities in a particular district. This is a matter for clinical judgment.

Lord Bruce of Donington
My Lords, are we to take it from that reply that, in making a prescription for a particular treatment, a clinical practitioner must take into account—I use the Minister's own words—non-clinical, managerial or financial advice?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, there are a wide number of considerations to be taken into account.

§ Lord Dean of Beswick
My Lords, do the Government maintain a constant vigilance over new industrial processes to monitor whether increased radiation is being emitted from them? Would the Government take any necessary measures to try to keep such radiation to an absolute minimum?

§ Baroness Hooper
Yes, my Lords.